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3 Home stay options that aren't Airbnb

Home swaps, short-term rentals and couches just waiting to be surfed – we’re certainly living in an era where alternative accommodation offerings are quickly becoming the norm for savvy travellers.

Skift recently took an in-depth look at this new world of overnight stays unfolding for budget-conscious globetrotters in their ‘What the sharing economy means to the future of travel’ report, dissecting its rise to popularity and how it has been affecting the industry as a whole.  

There are a number of factors that have influenced the increasing popularity of vacation rental markets such as Airbnb, of which cost saving (for the traveller) and financial gain (for the renter) are obviously the most prominent in the current tough economic climate. Interestingly enough, receiving praise from others, being part of a global network and having the opportunity to feel like a local in a different city also play a more intrinsic role.

While the option of affordable vacation rental has been hugely positive for travellers, it has, quite understandably, had the traditional hotel industry a little worried.

In an article looking specifically at what hotels can learn from the model, Michelle Grant, Travel and Tourism Manager at Euromonitor International, said that traditional accommodation offerings should not be intimidated by the meteoric rise of vacation rental markets as the two business models have coexisted for a significant amount of time without infringing on each other.

As far as stability, standards and trustworthiness go, hotels definitely have an advantage, as in most cases, travellers know exactly what to expect when they make a booking. Despite best efforts to stick to certain standards, there is no quality guarantee for peer-to-peer vacation rentals.

However, hotels can also learn a few valuable lessons about what travellers really want from the rental model, such as an emphasis on personal connections, local experiences and the inclusion of amenities such as wifi and phone calls, instead of charging separately for them.

In the past few years, Airbnb has become the go-to site for travellers looking for cheaper, alternative accommodation, however, it's not the only one out there.

We check out a few other short term vacation rental sites:

Nighswapping

Taking the form of a travel-based social network, Nightswapping works on a points-based system, where the more travellers you host in your home, the more points you collect and the more you can travel. So, if you host someone for two nights, you get two points, which you can use anywhere in the world. 

So, basically, you don't pay for your accommodation at all... However, there is a $12 administration fee and a screening process which includes a photo, address verification, and 'city ambassadors' popping by your home to check if it really is the way you're representing it on the site. 

Only launched in 2014, Nightswapping has mainly been adopted in European cities so far, however a quick search on their site revealed that a few South African properties have also been listed. In fact, an idyllic farm cottage in Franschhoek was recently included in a round-up on their Facebook page of 7 'remote' Nightswapping apartments

Check out the Nighswapping website for yourself

TravelMob 

While it is extremely similar to Airbnb, TravelMob's strength lies in the fact that it specialises in accommodation offerings in Asia Pacific. So, if you are heading to anywhere from Thailand to Indonesia to parts of Australia, the site can assist in connecting you with hosts. Since it concentrates on only one section of the travel market, chances are good that you will spot something suited to your budgets and your needs than you would on a larger platform such as Airbnb.

Check out the TravelMob website for more details  

HomeExchange

Unlike the likes of Airbnb, TravelMob and Nighswapping where there is a chance that you may have to cohabit with your hosts, doing a house swap with a site like HomeExchange offers you the freedom of a private holiday, albeit in someone else's home.

You can sign up for HomeExchange for a fee of R1 700 a year and immediately start advertising your home and connect with possible exchanges in the destination you would like to visit. So, even though you won't be bumping into each other in each other's homes, you do make a personal connection and possibly a very valuable one for future holidays. 

The difficult part about this is that your travel plans have to coincide with those of your home exchange partners, but fortunately the database is rather big, so chances are good that you will find a suitable match. 

Find out more by visiting the HomeExchange website

Have you ever tried any sort of peer to peer, short term rental (couch surfing, Airbnb, HomeExchange etc)? Tell us about it in the comment section below, send us your story to info@traveller24.co.za, tweet @traveller24_sa or tag traveller24_sa on Instagram

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