House Swapping - Tourism

Tourism

House swapping is believed to have developed in the 1950s, but rose to prominence in the 1970s as more people got involved and considered it to be a viable vacation option. Some estimates indicate that traveller participation in house swapping is consistently increasing by 15-20% per year. Summer is traditionally the peak season for house swapping, due to families traveling during summer vacations and house swapping allows families to try out a location for a short period of time while saving money over the traditional vacation costs and allowing them to take vacations that they may otherwise be unable to afford. It's estimated that families can save approximately $5,000 by swapping their homes instead of booking hotels and rental cars, although the perception and listing of the home may not always match reality, and some may be uncomfortable with others using their home. Not all travelers are interested in house swapping solely to save money, but they also see it as a means of meeting locals, seeing relatively un-touristed regions and experiencing local culture. The internet has made the process of finding a swap significantly easier with a number of websites devoted to house swapping.