Earlier this year I took some time out to travel the world. I met amazing people with whom I shared memorable experiences. However, I couldn't help but wonder whether I was getting the *real* feel of the cultures of the cities and countries that I had visited or some commercialized facsimile. Nearly two months into my trip I met some travelers in their early 20s while traveling through Switzerland. When I asked what hotel or hostel they were staying at they said they weren't staying at any hotels or hostels on their 6 month trek. Puzzled, I asked them if they were camping. They told me they were "couchsurfing." They continued to say that they joined the Couchsufring.org project so they could avoid spending money on hotels and hostels by crashing on someone's proverbial couch (in most cases, someone's extra bedroom).

Intrigued, I decided to check this out by visiting Couchsurfing.org. I was surprised to see that Couchsurfing has more than 1.4 million members from around the world and they have facilitated millions of cultural exchanges. The leaders of the Couchsurfing project states that the goal of Couchsurfing is to foster cultural exchange, goodwill and understanding. This simple concept has really taken off and Couchsurfing is experiencing a meteoric rise in memberships.

I subscribe to several blog feeds through Google Alerts, and judging by the sheer volume of people writing about Couchsurfing experiences, I would say that it represents a a significant sea change in the hotel business. I'm not saying that Couchsurfing is for everyone, because it clearly favors the adventurous. Couchsurfing is great for those people who favor an authentic cultural experience rather than a run of the mill tourist experience provided by most hotels and resorts. I used to work in the hotel industry and many of the hotels receive kick-backs from local restaurants and attractions for referrals. So, you gotta wonder if you are getting legitimate recommendations from a hotel concierge or front desk clerk.

Here's a good article that speaks to the virtues of Couchsurfing.

http://wildcat.arizona.edu/wildlife/students-build-global-community-by-hosting-strangers-on-couches-1.794753

Couchsurfing aside, the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey found a 9.8 percent rise in cohabitation in the U.S. during the last year. Driven by higher unemployment and foreclosures, people are deciding to take in roommates or share their homes. Sherpa will help ordinary homeowners monetize their unused space by competing with hotels for paying guests. With more than 90 million unused rooms in American households, we think Sherpa has a good chance at doubling the lodging supply in the U.S. by helping people monetize their unused rooms. Stay tuned...

Russ



Russ Hearl
Head Sherpa & Co-Founder
Sherpa Travel Exchange, LLC
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San Francisco, CA 94102

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