Research Proposal
A respectable hotel vs. a stranger’s couch – what affects travelers’ choice?
I love traveling. Who doesn’t, right? This is one of the greatest joys in the world. Going places and meeting new people – nothing beats that. I am a very lucky person. By age 16, I have lived in over ten countries all over the world. However, up to now, it was my mom who made all the choices. This year I am planning my own international vacation for the first time.
One of the major issues travelers face is finding the right place to stay. It can literally make or break your vacation. Different occasions require different accommodations. Some people want to stay in the heart of a city listening to its heartbeat and breathing in the local fumes. Others prefer a quiet getaway in a secluded beach bungalow.
Members of my family travel a lot, so we have experienced all sorts of accommodations: from luxurious hotels and private villas to tiny studios and old wood cabins. This time, while looking through a variety of hotel offers, I came across a “couch surfing” site that immediately caught my attention.
I was already familiar with the concept. Many of my friends have switched to Airbnb (an apartment rental service) in the past few years. In fact, many respectable chain hotels are losing significant chunks of their business to apartment owners willing to sublet their places. However, I have never heard of couch surfing before. Couchsurfing is a special site that connects people willing to let strangers into their home for a night and those travelers willing to accept their offer. I got curious. Why would anyone want to crash on a stranger’s couch? What kind of reasons can make someone choose a date with the unknown over an affordable hostel with good reviews?
As you probably get from the style of my writing, safety would be a main concern for me. At first, I thought the reasons were purely financial – many hosts do not charge their couchsurfing guests anything for the privilege of staying the night. However, after reading some testimonies and reviews, I realized that I was mistaken. I have learned that many people without any financial problems were doing it “to explore the local flavor”, to make new friends and to get an insight into everyday life of their travel destination.
My second thought was that it must be “an adrenalin rush” type of event. In my mind, only men could be adventurous enough to take advantage of couch surfing. Well, I was wrong again. Women are just as willing to explore the new possibilities as their male co-travelers.
If you think, only single travelers find this option a suitable one, think again. Although single people do make up the main share of couch surfing business, the percentage of couple and families with kids is also fairly significant.
So, why is “couchsurfing” taking business away from traditional hotels, bed & breakfast facilities, hostels and even apartment rentals? What does it have to offer that is so appealing to modern day international travelers? What are its pros and cons? What affects travelers’ decisions when making a choice in favor of a couch in someone’s house? These are the questions I want to explore in my research paper. And if I find some good answers, I might even consider this option for my next getaway.
I love traveling. Who doesn’t, right? This is one of the greatest joys in the world. Going places and meeting new people – nothing beats that. I am a very lucky person. By age 16, I have lived in over ten countries all over the world. However, up to now, it was my mom who made all the choices. This year I am planning my own international vacation for the first time.
One of the major issues travelers face is finding the right place to stay. It can literally make or break your vacation. Different occasions require different accommodations. Some people want to stay in the heart of a city listening to its heartbeat and breathing in the local fumes. Others prefer a quiet getaway in a secluded beach bungalow.
Members of my family travel a lot, so we have experienced all sorts of accommodations: from luxurious hotels and private villas to tiny studios and old wood cabins. This time, while looking through a variety of hotel offers, I came across a “couch surfing” site that immediately caught my attention.
I was already familiar with the concept. Many of my friends have switched to Airbnb (an apartment rental service) in the past few years. In fact, many respectable chain hotels are losing significant chunks of their business to apartment owners willing to sublet their places. However, I have never heard of couch surfing before. Couchsurfing is a special site that connects people willing to let strangers into their home for a night and those travelers willing to accept their offer. I got curious. Why would anyone want to crash on a stranger’s couch? What kind of reasons can make someone choose a date with the unknown over an affordable hostel with good reviews?
As you probably get from the style of my writing, safety would be a main concern for me. At first, I thought the reasons were purely financial – many hosts do not charge their couchsurfing guests anything for the privilege of staying the night. However, after reading some testimonies and reviews, I realized that I was mistaken. I have learned that many people without any financial problems were doing it “to explore the local flavor”, to make new friends and to get an insight into everyday life of their travel destination.
My second thought was that it must be “an adrenalin rush” type of event. In my mind, only men could be adventurous enough to take advantage of couch surfing. Well, I was wrong again. Women are just as willing to explore the new possibilities as their male co-travelers.
If you think, only single travelers find this option a suitable one, think again. Although single people do make up the main share of couch surfing business, the percentage of couple and families with kids is also fairly significant.
So, why is “couchsurfing” taking business away from traditional hotels, bed & breakfast facilities, hostels and even apartment rentals? What does it have to offer that is so appealing to modern day international travelers? What are its pros and cons? What affects travelers’ decisions when making a choice in favor of a couch in someone’s house? These are the questions I want to explore in my research paper. And if I find some good answers, I might even consider this option for my next getaway.