11-09-2006, 11:00 AM
Quote:...a growing network of people online who've gone a step beyond hotels, hostels and even apartment swapping in their travel planning: They sleep on each others' couches.
A number of Web sites have sprung up to help pair travelers searching for a place to crash and hosts with a spare couch. Sites like hospitalityclub.org, couchsurfing.com, globalfreeloaders.com and place2stay.net are often free, serving only as middlemen and offering tips on how to find successful matches.
The sites aren't moneymakers. They're largely the creations of 20-somethings bitten with wanderlust and the hope to help bridge together people from different cultures. They often depend on volunteer administrators to help manage the Web operations...
Sites do offer some safeguards to help members: Members can vouch for each other and leave references for someone they've stayed with or hosted, similar to eBay's rating system...
full article: http://apnews.excite.com/article/2006110...FQOO0.html