CouchSurfing is used for sharing global travel information between members. The goal of the application is to promote cultural exchange, learning, and friendship globally over the Internet. These interactions lead to hospitality exchanges and visiting and hosting travelers all over the world.

Visit www.couchsurfing.org

The application was founded in 2003 by Casey Fenton, Dan Hoffer, Sebastien LeTuan, and Leonardo Bassani de Silveira. There are members in 230 countries and territories and over 67,000 cities. In January 2012, it was announced that they found a new investor, namely a Berlin-based early-stage venture capital firm called Point Nine Capital.

CouchSurfing is a meeting place for people who want to travel globally and meet each other by providing or receiving accommodations.

Members can choose to travel or host with CouchSurfing. The site allows members to connect online and set up hosting or meetings around the world. The general feel of the application is one of promoting camaraderie and good will, but one must be cautious as the site is promoting allowing strangers into your home.

Criticisms of CouchSurfing include the issue of freeloaders who are taking advantage of hosts simply because they would be homeless without the hosts’ generosity. They are abusing the CouchSurfing system and seem to be more of an issue than the site admits. The application relies on trusting people and this may be an issue for many members.

The inherent problem with using a hospitality website of any kind is that there is the potential for predators.

Members are advised to complete a profile so that potential hosts or surfers will have enough information about them to trust them. Referrals from other members are the most valuable commodity on the site, as they confirm whether the member is who they claim to be and whether they are a considerate guest and/or host.

Communities for subjects and locations are available. Members must join groups to post in the forums. To join, members must indicate why they are joining and what kind of digests or messaging they wish to receive from the group.

Members provide a member name, first and last names, email address, password, gender, birthdate, language, state, city, postal code, interest (surfing, hosting, or both), availability to host, referral source, and agreement to terms. Email with validation link is sent within 15 minutes.

The site is free, but users are prompted to verify their identity for a fee if they wish. The verification fee supports the operating costs of the site and verifies the member’s location.

CouchSurfing.org offers an inexpensive and entertaining platform to find a place to stay. Keep safety in mind when you stay in the home of a stranger or to open one’s home to one.

• Free to use
• Fee for verification
• Global hosts
• May choose to host or surf
• Community for communications
• Users should be aware of potential dangers

Visit www.couchsurfing.org

CouchSurfing video