What Is Home Exchange Travel?
Home exchange is an arrangement where you live in someone else’s home while they live in yours. An exchange can be made anywhere in the world, for any mutually agreed period of time. A long weekend at a nearby beach to a summer in a Swiss farmhouse and everything in between–the choice is yours.
Popularized in academia during the 1960’s, exchanging attracted faculty who recognized the tremendous benefits of traveling the world in this unique way. With a thirst for culture and summers free, they learned (and taught their children) the history of the world first hand. Since that time the concept has gained global acceptance within many professions and is growing at a rate of 20 per cent annually. Over 2 million people worldwide are expected to be house swapping by the year 2010.
Why Home Exchange?
Culture, comfort, and cost are three of the primary factors that bring people back to home exchange time and time again. No matter how good the tour guide or travel book describes a place, the real picture can only be seen from your “own” backyard. While visiting another country as a guest in someone’s home, you come away with a truer, richer experience. It’s not unheard of to be personally escorted to the local market or invited to attend a traditional wedding by a friendly neighbor. Can’t beat that.
More Choices
Staying in a real home provides you with choices. It’s a kitchen when you crave scrambled eggs at 2 a.m. or the convenience of a laundry room when your toddler has gone through three outfits in one day. Perhaps after a hectic day of sightseeing the last thing you want to do is get dressed for dinner. Take-out in a foreign place takes on a new meaning and is actually fun. Live like the locals and enjoy all the comforts of home away from home. Many people turn to exchanging their homes when planning professional sabbaticals, family and school reunions, or scouting retirement locations worldwide.
You Cannot Beat the Price
The dollars and cents reason is easy to figure out; you don’t pay a penny for your accommodations. Very often the exchange reaches beyond dwellings to include cars and/or pet care, rewarding you with additional savings on rentals and boarding. Many people opt to travel to more exotic locations for a longer period with the savings on accommodation costs.
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