Couchsurfing Revisited
Most business trips are short and sweet, but occasionally there’s the chance to spend a couple of extra days seeing the new city. If you want to see the sights without blowing a hole in your budget, then couchsurfing might be a great option. Since we first covered the topic at the start of 2008, the numbers of couchsurfers have grown and grown, with an estimated 1.2 million couchsurfers around the world, according to Couchsurfing.org, the site founded by the originator of the movement, Casey Fenton.
Couchsurfing is a great way to see places from the inside.
How Couchsurfing Works
The premise is simple - sign up for the site, set up a Facebook style profile, say where you want to go and find someone in the city prepared to offer you a couch for a few days. That’s not all you might get, either. Many hosts are willing to show you around, give you tips on where to eat and places to visit and generally make sure that you have a great time without spending a lot. It’s a wonderful way to see a place from the inside - the way the locals see it. You can avoid tourist traps and have experiences that you might otherwise have missed.
Rating The Experience
Is it safe? Statistics suggest that most people have a fantastic time with no negative reports. On the Couchsurfing site you can rate each experience. Even if you don’t want to stay with a complete stranger, you can use the site to meet people in your destination who will meet you for coffee or a drink and point you in the right direction. You can also have just as much fun playing host to new friends visiting your town - and when the holiday’s over, there might even be business opportunities.
Other resources
- The Hospitality Club
- Global Freeloaders
- Video Introduction To Couchsurfing
- Couchsurfing on Twitter
- HostATourist
- Stay4Free
- Warmshowers - for bike tourists
Tags: accommodation, budget travel, couchsurfing, travel, Travel Deals
August 6th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Interest concept, safety for me would be an issue, but I defiitely see it as a way to get aroud the world on a budget.
August 6th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I would think about safety too, but it seems that the people who have done it rate it highly and have positive experiences.
August 8th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Good information. We haven’t tried couch surfing yet, but I think that we will give it a try on our next trip.
August 8th, 2009 at 11:51 am
I think it looks like a good idea, Dave and Deb, and you can always take the safer option of using it to get an intro to a new area.