Homestays Gain Popularity

The popularity of Web sites such as HomeExchange.com is eye-popping: the site has recorded about new 10,000 posts and added 30 countries to its database, meaning that you can now browse about 30,000 entries from 130 nations. The core operation here is "you stay in my home and I'll stay in yours." It doesn't have to be a simultaneous deal. The exchange could be months apart and you or the other host could be on property at the time of the visit. People with homes to exchange in Maui might get more inquiries than those in Moline, but the point is budget travelers are always looking for alternatives to expensive hotel stays. Look for more of the same in the year to come.