Couchsurfing—a service that connects a global community of travelers—may still have a website and an app, but it no longer has a thriving community. Even though Couchsurfing has more members than ever, its community is dying.
The Couchsurfing web application was launched in 2004, but the idea came to founder Casey Fenton in 1999 after a trip to Iceland where he successfully arranged to stay with strangers. After hacking into the University of Iceland database, he emailed students with his request for a place to stay and received numerous offers.
But the original couch surfers were looking for more than just a free place to stay for the night. The Couchsurfing community that originally evolved was a tight-knit group looking to experience a new place, make new friends, and have a direct link to the local culture. The Couchsurfing community was one of reciprocity, reputation, and respect. Payment was not expected, although surfers would typically show their host gratitude in some way. The idea of paying it forward is key in couch surfing, and often that was all a host expected.
However, Couchsurfing failed to obtain non-profit status and became a for-profit company in 2011. The pay it forward mentality faded as the Couchsurfing company itself chose developing a following over building a community. Since then, the community has changed dramatically, and there is an unfortunate amount of serious crimes that have become associated with couch surfing, suggesting that it has too often become just another way to “hook up.”
Nevertheless, there are some who continue to have the positive experience that was originally intended. James Hulme, for example, was heading to China for a month with a friend and found a place to stay through the Couchsurfing website. Their host in Shanghai had an extra bed and was looking to improve his English. By preparing dinner for his guests every night, he encouraged the three of them to spend time together. He also cooked James and his friend local food and even insisted on paying their train ride from the airport to his house.
While there certainly are reasons to be cautious when embarking on this mode of travel, there are still plenty of people who embrace the original vision of Couchsurfing. Let’s just hope they haven’t caught the last wave of what Couchsurfing was designed to be.
—Kate Hulme
Is not the same as before, less travelers posting looking for a place to stay, I guess all those bad experiences suffered by some girls got spread out around the world.
I miss the old CS. I still maintain my account but it feels like it’s dead, even in previously thriving location like Thailand. Fortunately, the Bangkok CS weekly Meetup is still kicking as I found out last year.
A couple thoughts: Regarding hosts,I think many ppl decided to start making money using airBnB. I also think the popularity of Meetup.com enabled travelers to meet people that share their exact interests.
What do you think about meetup and Airbnb rendering CS obsolete?
People want something for nothing now…freeloaders are the norm. Old CS wasnt like this.
There’s always bewelcome.org which is also suffering from the freeloader mentality, but many of the old school CS folks have moved there long ago.
Wow guess I might have waited too long to experience CS. I recently joined CS hoping to experience Detroit for three weeks this summer through CS. I didn’t even consider that the CS experience had already potentially come and gone. I was really hoping to gain insight about the city by staying with multiple host over the course of my stay but I may have been idealizing my expectations. ~James
Even though Couchsurfing has more members than ever: On paper only most of the membership hasn’t logged on for over a year, some members on there haven’t shown up for five or six years, it is carrying such a load of dead wood. The Administration is asleep too any suggestions to improve the site just go into a black hole.