How the Sharing Economy Opens New Doors for Travelers

耿烨蔚

你旅行数千英里是为了去体验新的文化。那你为何要勉强接受一家普通的酒店或是毫无特色的旅游餐厅呢？快速兴起的P2P或共享经济使旅行者们可以不再选择传统的酒店预订，而是住到别人家里、开着别人的汽车、在别人的厨房就餐等等，以此体验当地的生活，用自己的眼睛去探索新的目的地。

为什么要共享呢？经济下行后，人们通过共享自己拥有的房屋、车辆以及技能等资源，以创新的方式来赚钱，创造出一种基于协同消费的新经济模式。这场“权力赋予民众”的运动调动了一大批小型企业家，也给旅行者带来了好处，这好处既有实际的一面（省钱、便捷和个性化的关注），也有丰富人生的一面（原汁原味的体验和真实的人际联系）。共享经济还能给当地社区提供支持，鼓励可持续性发展。

作为一种旅行方式，共享旅行受到一代又一代背包客的青睐，发展十分迅速。近年来，通过使用互联网和社交媒体，越来越多的人可参与到共享旅行中。互联网和社交媒体帮助旅行者与各类服务和服务提供者建立了联系。以下是当今共享经济中特别流行的几种旅游方式，从房屋互换到由当地人担任导游的独特旅行，不一而足。

不管是在陌生人家的沙发上过夜，还是下榻奢侈的豪华套房，这种住在公寓、别墅甚至私人住所单间的新的住宿潮流在过去几年十分热门。这主要归功于在2008年创立的为房东和旅行者提供服务的在线社区交易平台——Airbnb。

Airbnb通过口口相传的方式迅猛发展，吸引那些喜欢该网站所提供的当地体验的人。Airbnb宣称：“当你住在由Airbnb提供的住所中，你就拥有了向当地居民学习的机会。Airbnb的房东会告诉你一些别处听不到的内幕。他们有着当地人极强的自豪感，通常会很热切地与你分享一些小贴士，使你的旅行更加精彩。”

尽管Airbnb网站最近才进入主流，但房屋共享并不是一个新概念。HomeExchange是一家房屋交换服务公司，创立于互联网时代之前的1992年，它因《恋爱假期》这部电影流行开来，几十年来一直是旅行房主沟通联系的平台。公司创始人兼董事长艾德·库申斯说：“协同消费是把过去的私人物品转变为可以使用或是出租的东西。无论是从额外福利还是从人际沟通来看，住在某人家里——相对订酒店——能使旅行更划算，而且增加了便利。”库申斯还说：“你不必每顿饭都在餐馆吃，因而可以在吃这方面省钱；也没有那些早入住和早退房的规定；你还能得到个人化的指导和安身之处，还能认识一些人，通常是与你交换房屋的房主的朋友。”

共享座驾

你一旦预订了要在某个陌生人家中住宿，步入共享世界的下一步自然就是驾驶陌生人的车。对于那些既想省钱又想在上路时得到更加个性化服务的旅行者来说，这种方式很有吸引力。

汽车共享的典型做法包括短时租车，通常按小时计算。租车替代了买车，这有助于让那些非必需的车辆不再上路，环境压力也会因此小一些。近年来，短时租车已经发展到可以满足旅行者的长期需要。旅行者可以按天从车主那儿直接租用那些未能得到充分利用的汽车，还避免了传统租车的麻烦。

RelayRides是一家汽车共享交流网站，其关注的焦点是美国的各个机场。该公司起初模仿网上租车公司Zipcar的模式，提供按需定制的服务，按小时收租金，却发现自己比赫兹、安飞士等传统汽车租赁公司更具竞争力。按照RelayRides社区和沟通总监史蒂文·韦布的说法：“[我们的顾客]是‘有车一族，但因特别的目的[譬如旅游]想要租车，他们想要比传统租车更便捷、更实惠的服务。”韦布声称汽车共享能帮旅行者节省高达40%的开支，此外还有挑选汽车和由车主接机的好处。

FlightCar是另一个选择。该网站对租车者进行预先审查，通过审查的人可以租用车主停放在机场的车。对于车主来说，汽车如果租了出去，他们就能免费在机场停车，获得一次免费洗车，还能收取租金。租车的人则能享受便宜的租车费和免费的路边接送服务，该服务已覆盖波士顿、洛杉矶和旧金山的机场。而诸如排队等候、填写各种文件、隐形附加费用这些多年来一直困扰着租车人的烦恼通通都没有。

共享美食

协同消费不仅包括房屋和车辆，人们还渴望通过食物获取真实的体验。一边是充满激情的厨师和祖母，另一边是想要在世界各个角落与当地居民共享家庭菜肴的饥饿旅行者，很多新兴网站使两方建立联系变得更容易。

你可以通过这些社交餐饮网站预订饭菜，或是预订在私人厨房举办的烹饪课程。越来越多的旅行者不满意度假胜地和旅游餐厅提供的普通食物，他们想品尝一些更加难忘的、能反映当地文化的美食，这些网站满足了这类旅行者的需求。这些服务会使人更加沉浸其中，服务也更具个性化，因为美食提供者往往会根据特别的饮食喜好来烹制美食，甚至会根据个人需求来定制套餐菜单。

诺亚·卡雷什在2013年与别人一道创建了Feastly网站，旨在帮助人们“了解当地文化，搭建联系平台”。他说：“这个网站就是一个载体，用于保持人际关系，并提供与食物相关的有意义的互动……可供选择的食物有很多，有五美元的汉堡，也有100美元的多道菜肴，可以满足所有的饮食方式。”

共享体验

漫步于布鲁克林，品味街头艺术；坐在1975年款的“小绵羊”摩托车后座上环游巴黎；甚至和斐济国王一起来次垂钓之旅：说到游览目的地，Vayable这样的网站可以帮助旅行者联系经过审查的当地导游，从而享受根据特殊兴趣定制的独特旅行体验。

网站创始人杰米·翁认为：“同当地人建立联系能给旅行者带来好处，旅行的特色就在于此。”这样的旅行可以让人们前往新的街区，远离那些典型的旅游景点和千篇一律的活动。翁清楚地了解到许多人都渴望真实的旅行体验，于是创建了这个网站。她说：“2008年的经济危机催生了一种需求，那就是人们需要相互联系，需要体验式的旅行。人们发现金钱不能使他们幸福。体验可以。”

共享经济中的信任与安全

共享资源、建立人际联系以及进行文化交流的潜能或许很有吸引力，但许多旅行者都会遇到一个简单的问题：共享旅行安全吗？

许多此类网站和应用都会为你做初步审查。所以当你实际上还在和陌生人进行沟通时，就有许多检查和制衡机制来全程帮助你们彼此建立信任了，让你在了解情况后做出决定。例如，大多数此类服务网站都使用多重审查系统，包括通过信用卡、电话号码、社交媒体账户等来核实身份。你也可以仔细阅读资料信息和经过核实的评论，或是看看针对某位供应者的推荐。一些网站还有内嵌的聊天功能，让客户和供应者直接互发信息沟通，让双方彼此了解，同时还保护了他们的个人身份。库申斯称：“等你同意交换时，早就不再担忧了。你看到了那个人，也了解了那个人，原本自然会有的担忧便消失了。”

共享旅行的未来

尽管共享经济向传统商业模式的现状提出了挑战，但其本身也面临着合法性和能设想到的竞争的挑战。

比如，Airbnb正在和纽约州打官司，因为该网站上列出的一些公寓是“非法”出租的，州政府因此少收了数百万美元的酒店税。此外，据路透社报道，西雅图市刚刚投票决议限制优步、Lyft和Sidecar这样的车辆共享公司的扩张，并要求驾驶者和车辆都购买与出租车标准相同的保险。

尽管监管机构和害怕竞争的公司强制推出了这些规则，但共享经济的倡导者们很乐观，他们相信成功的关键在于协作。

根据Airbnb的说法，“共享经济对人们来说是个新模式，但只要我们共同努力，全世界的领导者和社区成员很快会看到Airbnb如何使社区变得更强大”。

有人说，随着共享运动合法化并成为主流，随着其为经济带来的好处被人们所认识，与之相关的法律问题将变得不重要。至于旅游业，翁认为：“就社区和可持续性发展而言，共享经济有助于扩大旅游市场……它不会取代旧市场，而是会创造出一个新市场。”

You travel thousands of miles to experience new cultures. So why would you settle for1） a generic2）） hotel or nondescript3） tourist restaurant？ The burgeoning4） peer-to-peer5） or sharing-economy movement allows travelers to skip the traditional booking options and live la vita6） local by staying in other peoples homes， driving their cars， eating in their kitchens， and otherwise7）， seeing a new destination through their eyes.

Why share？ After the economic downturn， people developed innovative ways to make money by sharing resources they already had， such as houses， vehicles， and skills， creating a new economy based on collaborative consumption8）. While this power-to-the-people movement has mobilized an army of micro-entrepreneurs， it has also resulted in traveler benefits ranging from practical （savings， convenience， and personalized attention） to enriching （authentic experiences and real human connection）. It also supports local communities and encourages sustainability.

A travel style favored by generations of backpackers， peer-to-peer has grown meteorically9） and become more accessible in recent years through the use of the Internet and social media， both of which help connect travelers with hosts and services. Here are some of the more popular ways to travel in todays sharing economy， from house swapping to unique tours guided by locals.

Share a House

From crashing10） on a strangers couch to sleeping in a luxurious penthouse11） suite， the trend of staying in alternative accommodations such as apartments， villas， or even single rooms in private homes has exploded over the past few years， mainly thanks to Airbnb12）， an online community marketplace for homeowners and travelers that debuted in 2008.

The site grew quickly via word of mouth， attracting people who liked the local experiences it provided. According to Airbnb， “When you stay in an Airbnb [property]， you have the opportunity to learn from a local. Airbnb hosts can give you insider knowledge you couldnt find elsewhere. Hosts have a ton of local pride and are generally eager to share their tips with you to make your trip even more amazing.”

While Airbnb has recently hit the mainstream， the concept of home sharing is not new. Started as a pre-Internet business in 1992， HomeExchange13）， a house-swapping service popularized by the movie The Holiday14）， has been connecting traveling homeowners for decades. According to Ed Kushins， founder and president of the company， “Collaborative consumption is turning things that used to be private into something that can be used or rented. Staying in someones home—as opposed to booking a hotel—can make a vacation more affordable and add convenience， both in terms of perks15） and personal interactions.” Kushins says， “You can save on food bills by not eating at a restaurant for every meal， and there are no early check-in or checkout rules； plus you get personal instructions and accommodations and get to meet people， often friends of the exchange partner.”

Share a Ride

Once youve booked a stay in a strangers home， the next natural step into the peer-to-peer world is driving a strangers car， which has appeal for travelers wanting to save money and get more personalized service when they hit the road.

Typically， car sharing involves renting cars for short periods of time， often by the hour. An alternative to car ownership， this helps keep unnecessary vehicles off the road， thus making things a little easier on the environment. In recent years， it has expanded to fulfill the longer-term needs of travelers， who can rent directly from car owners on a daily basis， making use of underutilized vehicles and avoiding the hassles16） associated with traditional car rentals.

RelayRides17）， a car-sharing marketplace focused on U.S. airports， started out emulating the Zipcar18） model with on-demand， hourly car rentals， but found that it was more competitive with traditional car-rental companies such as Hertz19） and Avis20）. According to Steven Webb， RelayRides Director of Community and Communications， “[Our customers] were people who already had cars but wanted them for special purposes [like travel] and would like something more convenient and affordable than traditional rentals.” Webb claims that car sharing saves travelers up to 40 percent and provides them with the added benefits of choosing their car and getting picked up at the airport by the owner.

Another option， FlightCar21）， allows prescreened22） drivers to rent from people who have parked their cars at the airport. Owners get free airport parking， a car wash， and payment if their car is rented out， and renters receive low rates and free curbside pickup and drop-off at Boston， Los Angeles， and San Francisco airports. Theres no waiting in line， no paperwork， and none of the hidden ancillary23） fees that have been plaguing car renters for years.

Share a Meal

Houses and vehicles arent the only things up for collaborative consumption. People are craving authentic experiences through food. And plenty of new websites are making it easier to connect passionate chefs—and grandmothers—with hungry travelers who want to share home-cooked meals with locals in just about any destination around the world.

These social dining sites—through which you can book meals or cooking classes in someones private kitchen—fill the need of an ever-growing niche of travelers who have become dissatisfied with generic food options available at resorts and tourist restaurants and want more memorable meals that reflect the local culture. They are more immersive and offer personalization， since hosts often build meals around specific dietary preferences or even tailor set menus to suit individual needs.

Noah Karesh cofounded Feastly24） in 2013 to help people “understand local culture and connect.” He says， “Its a vehicle to sustain relationships and provide meaningful interaction around food.… Meal options range from $5 mac and cheese to $100 multicourse meals and can accommodate all dietary lifestyles.”

Share an Experience

A street-art walk in Brooklyn， a tour of Paris from the back of a 1975 Vespa25）， and even a fishing trip with a Fijian king： When it comes to seeing a destination， websites like Vayable26） are helping travelers find unique experiences tailored to specific interests by connecting them to vetted local guides.

According to founder Jamie Wong， “Travelers benefit by building connections with locals， which comes to define the trip.” These tours also bring people into new neighborhoods， away from the typical tourist spots and cookie-cutter27） activities. Wong created Vayable out of what she recognized as a collective longing for authentic experiences. She says， “The 2008 economic crash gave birth to a need for human connection and experiential travel. People found that money doesnt make them happy. Experiences do.”

Trust and Safety in the Sharing Economy

The potential for sharing resources， human connection， and cultural exchange may be appealing， but many travelers are left with a simple question： Is peer-to-peer travel safe？

Many of these websites and apps do the initial vetting for you. So while you are still essentially interacting with strangers， there are many checks and balances along the way that help build trust and allow you to make informed decisions. For example， most of these services use multilayered vetting systems that include verifying identities through credit cards， phone numbers， social media accounts， etc. You can also read through profiles and verified reviews or check references of a given host. Some sites have built-in functionalities for direct messaging between guests and hosts， which allows them to get to know each other while protecting their personal identities. According to Kushins， “By the time you agree to the exchange， the fear has gone away. You get to see and learn about the person， and the natural apprehension28） you have dissipates.”

The Future of Peer-to-Peer Travel

While the sharing economy defies the status quo set by traditional business models， its facing its share of challenges over legitimacy and perceived competition.

For example， Airbnb is currently in legal battles with New York for listing “illegal” apartment rentals and for costing the state millions in hotel tax dollars. And， according to Reuters， Seattle just voted to limit the expansion of ride-share companies like Uber， Lyft， and Sidecar and require that drivers and cars meet the same insurance standards as taxis.

Despite the rules imposed by regulatory bodies and competition-fearing companies， sharing-economy advocates are optimistic and believe the key to success lies in collaboration.

According to Airbnb， “The sharing economy is a new paradigm for people， but when we work together， leaders and community members around the world quickly see how Airbnb makes communities stronger.”

Some say issues around legality will become irrelevant as the peer-to-peer movement legitimizes and becomes part of the mainstream and its benefits to the economy are realized. Concerning the travel industry， Wong says， “It expands the tourism market with regard to communities and sustainability.… Its not displacing the old market but creating a new one.”