Unless you’ve been living in a cave out in the desert, you’ve heard about the shared economy sweeping across the nation. To be honest, even the cave dwellers in the desert have probably heard of it. AirBnB thrives off of highlighting unique lodgings like caves.
Point being that this movement has taken root all over America. It even has global roots as the digital platform seamlessly traveled internationally. If space travel were available to the everyday traveler, the shared economy would have spread there as well. At this point, it’s an unstoppable movement.
Many individuals fixed in their ways have been critical of the movement. They want to return to the way things were. Progress always creates tension.
Believe it or not, there was a group disgruntled about the printing press in the 1500s. Can you imagine still being tied to doing everything by hand? Thankfully, despite the opposition, we still progress. Hence, the lack of old school presses in regular circulation.
The truth is that progress cannot be stopped. As a society we are designed to continue forward. In the 1500s it was the printing press. Today it’s the rapid evolution of the tourism and travel industry through the sharing economy fueled by technology. It has forever changed the face of travel. Well, at least until progressive technology disrupts the model again.
At International Traveler’s House, we welcome the rebirth of the travel industry. This innovation spurred exponential growth, ultimately creating dramatic change and opening opportunities. Those opportunities for individuals, travelers, and homesteaders alike have bred a resurgence and easier access to travel. With the ability to rent your own home out, you have funds to adventure out yourself. It’s a positive cycle.
Yes, we are a fan of the sharing economy. To be honest, we are supportive of the ways that technology has increased access to our community of travelers.
In case you are still hesitant of this shift, here are several reasons why we believe the sharing economy is the future of travel.
Enhanced User Experience
Whether you are looking for a ride to the airport, a place to sleep, or someone to watch your pets, you can sort through hundreds of options, check out reviews, and be connected to the perfect fit within mere minutes.
It’s never been easier to connect to services.
No more standing on a corner waving down a cab. No more spending ages looking up hotels on every site on the Internet. No more emailing back and forth with countless dog watchers. Everything is streamlined through your phone.
Additionally, the review systems that have been integrated into the majority of service-based industries give you confidence when choosing. The hospitality industry has seen this take off the most with sites like Yelp, Urbanspoon, Tripadvisor, and others. Prior to committing to a lodging or dining option, you can see how countless other users described their experience.
All of the technological changes have been geared toward increasing ease of the process and enhancing the user experience.
Focus on Uniqueness
While there a lot of new trends appearing as millennials increase their purchasing power, one of the hospitality focused ones is appreciation for unique experiences. Your parents may not consider sleeping in a tree house in the jungle or in an igloo their cup of tea, but millennials are flocking to sign up.
It’s not that there weren’t unusual and innovative lodging options out there prior to AirBnB. It’s that they were hard to find. How can you expect a small tree house in the Rainforest to compete against a massive chain like the Hilton in search rankings?
Add to that, when you did find them, you were always a little worried about the safety and reliability once you showed up.
Now when you book your jungle tower, you can see what other travelers said after staying there. You also have the backing and support of the travel apps. This removes previous barriers.
Building a Culture of Trust
Today we trust our neighbors with our homes and our dogs. We invite them in to share a meal with us. When we say neighbors, we now have a broader view of who our neighbors are. It’s more of a global citizen view.
This can only have large-scale implications for cultural awareness, appreciation of other ethnicities, and growing respect for people worldwide. With everything that is going on around the world, we desperately need this type of appreciation for our fellow men and women.
Affordability
In a large city like San Diego, a single hotel room can run you between $150-$250 a night. Those are not necessarily the high-end accommodations either. That’s a standard two-bedroom hotel across the San Diego area.
If you are a budget traveler backpacking around the US, then that doesn’t jive with your plans. You’ll only be able to stay in our gorgeous city for a few nights, if that.
The sharing economy prioritizes affordability. Particularly at hostels, you are choosing a more affordable option to allow for extended travel and money for experiences. Between AirBnB and hostels, you can look for lodging ranging between $20-50 a night.
Your Shared Lodging for San Diego
At International Traveler’s House, we embody all the forward momentum of the sharing economy. First, our friendly staff tries to make your stay as comfortable (and fun) as possible. Secondly, we provide unique experiences.
Don’t worry though; our beds and lodging accommodations are more comfortable than a cave or an igloo. While we enjoy unique experience just as much as the next person, we also like getting a good night sleep. That’s why we upgraded all of our mattresses.
Where we hang our unique hat is on unparalleled user experience. At International Traveler’s House we provide free breakfast every single day.
Thirdly, our brand was founded on the principle of interacting and learning about other cultures. A hostel environment brings together people from all over the country and the world.
And lastly, we pride ourselves on affordability. By providing free meals and daily adventures, we save guests hundreds of dollars over the course of their stay.
We’re embracing the new wave of travel through putting guests as our highest priority. While there are so many different technologies enabling an entirely new way to book travel and connect with people, the real power of technology is creating relationships and leveraging it to enhance user experience.
With that mission as the keystone of International Traveler’s House, we are excited to walk into the new age of hospitability and tourism. Come stay with us and see the difference for yourself.
