The CouchSurfing Project is a free, Internet-based, international hospitality service, and it is currently the largest hospitality exchange network. The project was commenced in 2003 and formally launched on Jan 1, 2004. As of August 2008, it had more than 700,000 members in 232 countries and territories. According to their own published statistics 40 percent of their members are currently offering their couches to host travellers (with another 22 percent saying "maybe", and others who are travelling at the moment).[1]. According to Alexa it is currently the most visited hospitality service on the Internet, averaging over 30 million daily page views in July 2008.[2]
Members use the website to coordinate contacts and home accommodation ("couch-surfing") with other network members around the world. The website allows the creation of extensive profiles, and uses an optional credit card verification system, a personal vouching system, and personal references to increase security and trust between members. The site offers other features such as discussion groups, events and meetings, and live chat.
History
The CouchSurfing project was originally conceived by Casey Fenton in 2000. According to Fenton's own account, the idea arose after obtaining an inexpensive flight from Boston to Iceland. Rather than stay at a hostel, Fenton randomly emailed 1500 students from the University of Iceland asking if he could stay. Fenton ultimately received over fifty offers of accommodation. On the return flight to Boston he began to develop the ideas that would underpin the CouchSurfing project [1].
Fenton developed the code intermittently over the next few years, and the site was launched with the cooperation of Dan Hoffer, Sebastien Le Tuan, and Leonardo Silveira [2] as a beta in January, 2003. The project became a public website in January of 2004.
Initial growth of the site was slow, and by the end of 2004 the site had just over 6000 members. In 2005 growth accelerated and at the end of that year the membership stood at just under 45000[3].
In June 2006 the project experienced a number of computer problems resulting in much of the database being irrevocably lost[3]. Due to the volume of critical data that had been lost, Casey Fenton was of the opinion that the project could not be resurrected and on June 29, 2006 he issued an email to the membership announcing that "It is with a heavy heart that I face the truth of this situation. CouchSurfing as we knew it doesn't exist anymore." [4].
Fenton's email was met with vocal opposition to the termination of the project and considerable support for its recreation. A CouchSurfing collective was underway in Montreal at the time, and those in attendance committed to fully recreating the original site, with users to re-enter their profile data. "CouchSurfing 2.0" was announced early in July 2006, with the intent to be operational within 10 days. The initial implementation of CouchSurfing 2.0 actually launched after only four days[5]. The current CouchSurfing slogan "Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch At A Time" was launched concurrently.
Since the relaunch the project has received international media coverage[6], and has grown to in excess of 700,000 members. In August 2008 the membership grew by over 48,000[7].
Organization
CouchSurfing International Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation incorporated in the U.S. state of New Hampshire[4] CouchSurfing is listed as a registered charity in New Hampshire [5]
The mission statement of CouchSurfing is Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch at a Time [6]: "CouchSurfing seeks to internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance and facilitate cultural understanding. As a community we strive to do our individual and collective parts to create a better world, and we believe that the surfing of couches is a means to accomplish this goal. CouchSurfing is not about the furniture, not just about finding free accommodations around the world; it's about making connections worldwide. We make the world a better place by opening our homes, our hearts, and our lives. We open our minds and welcome the knowledge that cultural exchange makes available. We create deep and meaningful connections that cross oceans, continents and cultures. CouchSurfing wants to change not only the way we travel, but how we relate to the world!" [7]
Couchsurfing.com is registered by Casey Fenton Consulting, though the Board of Directors includes co-founders Daniel Hoffer (Chairman) and Seb Letuan. CouchSurfing.org points to the same website as CouchSurfing.com, though there are some other websites using similar addresses, such as couchsurfing.net, the German couchsurfing.de, and couchsurfing.info (which points to a forum on Hospitality Club).
How it works
Membership in the organization is free and is obtained simply by registering on the website. The core activity of the organization is exchange of accommodation. Acting as a host, a member offers the possibility of accommodation at his or her leisure; it is not required, but obviously it is encouraged. Acting as a surfer (guest), a traveller may search for and request accommodation at his or her destination. Accommodation is entirely consensual between the host and surfer, and the duration, nature, and terms of the surfer's stay are generally worked out in advance to the convenience of both parties. It is also expected to be free; no monetary exchange takes place except under certain circumstances (e.g. the surfer may compensate the host for food).
There are three methods to ensure security and trust, which are all visible on member profiles for potential hosts and surfers to see prior to arranging anything with each other:
- Personal references, which hosts and surfers could leave for each other at their option after having used the service.
- An optional credit card verification system, which allowed members to "lock in" their name and address by making a credit card payment and entering a code that CouchSurfing mails to the billing address. This also allows CS to recuperate some costs by requiring a fee for verification. For fairness the verification fee is based on a sliding scale, taking into account the Purchasing Power Parity and Human Development Index of the country of residence.[8]
- A personal vouching system, whereby a member that had been vouched for — originally starting with the founders of the site — might in turn vouch for any number of other members he or she knew or had met through CouchSurfing, and trusts.
Volunteers within the project often arrange meetings or camps which are events that last several days and bring people together.
Since June 2006, the website has been run in large part by CouchSurfing Collectives, which are groups of CouchSurfers who get together in a chosen city to develop and improve CouchSurfing. The Collectives took place in Montreal, Vienna, New Zealand and Thailand. The latest Collective has been taking place in Alaska since June 2008 and is scheduled to end in August 2008.
Members who wish to volunteer for various tasks on the site and help spread the word about CouchSurfing in general may become ambassadors. Ambassadors must be verified and actively promote the CouchSurfing spirit among members and to the public. In addition to promoting use of the site, they greet new members, help with questions and other administrative tasks, and more, all on a volunteer basis.
References
- Heesakkers, P.J.A (2008). The CouchSurfing Project; Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch at a time. An Explorative Study on the Phenomenon of CouchSurfing. NHTV Breda, University of Applied Sciences
- ^ CouchSurfing - Project Statistics
- ^ Alexa page view statistics for Hospitality networks
- ^ Casey Fenton asking help to recover from accidental DATABASE DROP on MySQL forum
- ^ New Hampshire non-profits, also available from Google Cache
- ^ Policy FAQs at CouchSurfing.com
- ^ List of charities in New Hampshire
- ^ Search for charities at the IRS
- ^ Wanderlust 5
- ^ DNS registry information about couchsurfing.com at WHOIS.
- ^ Expired Alaska business license for "Casey Fenton Consulting"
- ^ CouchSurfing 2.0 Mission
- ^ CouchSurfing Donate page
- ^ CouchSurfing Finances
- ^ CouchSurfing Project Team Founding
- ^ CouchSurfing Collectives
- ^ New Hampshire Web site showing CouchSurfing International is a Non-Profit Corporation
- ^ CouchSurfing disclosing member support after the crash
- ^ Verification fees based on a sliding scale determined by Purchasing Power Parity and Human Development Index
- Blog do Bruno Borges talks about CouchSurfing in portuguese (2008)
External links
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