Considering Couchsurfing?

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s of this year, couchsurfing, a relatively new travelling phenomenon, boasts an astonishing number of nine million participants. But what does couchsurfing really entail? The thought of visiting some of the world’s most incredible cities in relative comfort at no cost leaves a majority of people giddy with excitement. Even if travelling isn’t your thing, free stuff is rarely taken badly. However, couchsurfing unknowingly touches upon a serious debate about human nature. After all, the idea of a global network based solely on selfless friendship and hospitality leaves me slightly sceptical. Is couchsurfing a hippie haven for the backpacker on a tight budget, or is it a novel way for those amoral people in this world to take advantage of you?

What is couchsurfing?

For those unaware, couchsurfing operates primarily as a social networking website, connecting travellers with hosts in more than 120,000 cities around the world. In some ways, couchsurfing.com is a sort of dating website for travellers: hosts provide information and photos of the accommodation they have to offer, whilst members looking for a place to stay can search through thousands of different options. Beyond providing a place to stay for no cost, hosts can offer valuable insider information on the city you’re visiting, acting as travel guides without the extra charge.

What safety precautions are in place?

Type in ‘couchsurfing’ on Google and you can find numerous enthusiastic reviews of people who have made lifelong friends in this global community united by a love for travelling. On the website itself, couchsurfing offers a variety of methods aimed at increasing trust for those who remain cynical. There is a verification system, where hosts make the credit card payment of £15 to certify their address as authentic. Furthermore, references made by other travellers provide information on the host, and are widely regarded as the most important feature of the website.

Couchsurfing could in fact be a brilliant social experiment, spreading hospitality and forging connections amongst all different types of people

Couchsurfing stresses the importance of communication, and ‘surfers’ are encouraged to set up Skype interviews with those who could potentially host them. There is also the need to take the obvious safety precautions, such as letting friends know where you are staying, and meeting your host in a public place. Perhaps the most important and obvious aspect of couchsurfing is that it’s free. It makes travelling accessible to those who could otherwise not afford it, and it negates the need to spend £25 plus on a hostel that could potentially be rat-infested (been there, done that).

The cons

However, there is a dark side. The safety mechanisms advertised on the website are generally considered to be unreliable. There have been incidents of sexual harassment reported. If not harassment, some have described it as a generally uncomfortable experience. Furthermore, as a host you could encounter less than desirable guests, people who may take advantage of your hospitality and free admittance into your home.

So is it safe?

Contrary to my initial reaction, there are a number of people who promote couchsurfing as one of the best ways to travel. Admittedly, I’ve heard nothing but good reviews from those who have taken part in it – both as hosts and as guests. Perhaps I should put pessimism aside: couchsurfing could in fact be a brilliant social experiment, spreading hospitality and forging connections amongst all different types of people. After all, how much safer are you and your possessions sharing a hostel room of 20 people? Furthermore, couchsurfing encapsulates all that is fun about the backpacking experience. It’s about exploring, meeting new people and venturing as far out of your comfort zone as you possibly can. If you take the risks seriously and adhere to proper safety precautions, couchsurfing can be a method of responsible travel, not only safe but also incredibly rewarding, opening up new places to be explored and new people to meet no matter the budget.