Going Local Travel

If you like the idea of renting an apartment during a short break in New York, you could be facing some problems if new legislation is pushed through. The controversial proposal could make it illegal to rent an apartment in the city for any period under 30 days. The “subletting” bill – which has been [...]

Here is the latest ‘eco awareness’ note I found proudly framed in a hotel bathroom. We strive to reach a harmonious balance with Nature by means of the sustainable use of natural resources. We thankfully appreciate your assistance in helping us keep a green and clean environment. What were they doing that was so outstanding and [...]

This week someone told me about a B&B in Buenos Aires called Abode that prides itself on its ‘full English’ breakfast. “Can they get ‘baked beans?” I asked instantly, trying not to salivate too obviously. I was told that if they can’t get baked beans, the owner has honed her own recipe. Perhaps I should [...]

I’ve just finished reading Wanderlust: a social history of travel by Laura Byrne Paquet. It’s a great read for anyone interested in how the travel industry got to where it is today, moving from the original aristocratic European ‘grand tours’ to Thomas Cook’s first package holidays and onward to today’s ‘green travel’ and the potential [...]

Is Couchsurfing bad for local travel? Well, this is a new conundrum. Sort of. Couchsurfing has, of course, always had it’s critics. And so it should. There is no ‘perfect’ way to travel. Everything has pros and cons. And I’ve always been keen to tackle those belonging to couchsurfing. A very interesting blog over at the new Local Travel Movement site caught my eye today. Writer Ethan Gelber has picked up on some comments suggesting that couchsurfing sites do not fit in with the ‘local travel’ idea.

After my post on the setting up an online accommodation network, I got a great link sent to me by one of my interviewees, Peter of MyFriendsHotel.com. It was a post on an innkeepers’ forum by someone who felt that felt that sites like AirBnB are a major threat to the hotel industry. what can [...]

2009 has been the year of accommodation networks. These are the sites that enable you to bypass hotels and rent a room or house directly from the owners. What started off as the idea of a small fee for a place to crash or throw an airbed down (in a style of couchsurfing) has moved [...]

Here’s news to me: non-homeowners can house swap too. Well, kind of. Instead of offering a house in return, you offer your time and become a "housesitter". Caretaker.org – est. 1983 – brings the two parties together. Check out Caretaker Gazette, their subscription newsletter. I’ve yet to really explore it, but it’s surely worth a [...]

There’s a new trend in home swapping, according to Home Base Holidays. The economic downturn has prompted many members – mainly in the UK – to look for exchanges in their own country. “In the past, swaps closer to home had often been primarily for short breaks but now many more are exchanging for longer [...]

“Get a lodger to help pay your mortgage,” advised the Times at the weekend. It seems they’ve caught on to sites, such as Crashpadder and Airbed&breakfast, which allow users to rent out spare rooms and turn their place into a temporary B&B. They’re peer-to-peer accommodation networks, like Couchsurfing.com, but with the added twist of allowing [...]