November 2016
Sometimes you come across an idea that you have to share. Love Home Swap is most definitely one of those.
If you haven’t heard of it already, it basically involves advertising your home on their site and then swapping with someone else (not forever). As the guys at LHS say, it’s exactly like the film "The Holiday".
We are, of course, huge advocates of the sharing economy and this is an example of when it works particularly well: A swap with reciprocal benefits.
‘Travel the world through the power of swapping’- is the idea behind the London-based company and their founder Debbie Wossokow, CEO and OBE, built it with families in mind: “I had my children, and staying in hotels was a complete nightmare and what I really wanted to do was just take my home and put it elsewhere in the world”. ‘Love Home Swap’ has done just that. Today, with over 100,000 properties in over 150 countries, families can travel just about anywhere at ease.
There are multiple benefits to swapping; firstly, members avoid hefty accommodation costs- with users ‘saving up to 90% on their holidays’.
For some, the idea of giving up their home to a total stranger is unnerving. However, the process is totally transparent. All members have their homes on the site, so there’s a great deal of community trust. An on-call customer service team as well as a unique traveller protection package puts users’ minds at ease.
One of ‘Love Home Swap’s’ values is ‘Embracing Authenticity’, and home swapping enables members to experience an authentic taste of local life. Real homes, real places, and real experiences. ‘Love Home Swap’s’ community help each other to experience a place, without the taint of corporate tourism.
Here’s what a few happy Love Home Swap users had to say about the ever-growing brand:
“Swapping has saved us around $18,000 and we’ve been able to visit many unique places outside the typical tourist locations. In Canterbury we met a local historian at the pub and we had a magical stay in Tuscany. Feeling like you are the temporary owners of that house provides something a hotel never could.” Demeri family (New York, USA)
“We swapped with a five-bedroom villa right outside the marina and even traded cars. The weather was beautiful and the kids loved it. It was just an amazing holiday and we saved close to £17,000 over our 8-week trip”. Robbie, Twickenham UK
Such massive savings mean travellers can afford to do more on their holidays. Whether it’s a fancy meal out, renting a boat, or simply travelling for longer (bonus!) – there are lots of benefits.
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If you want to hear more about Love Home Swap, check out their website. Use this link and you'll get and exclusive 4-week trial to explore the site until December 31st – it’s well worth a look.
