耿燁蔚

你旅行數千英里是為了去體驗新的文化。那你為何要勉強接受一家普通的酒店或是毫無特色的旅游餐廳呢？快速興起的P2P或共享經濟使旅行者們可以不再選擇傳統(tǒng)的酒店預訂，而是住到別人家里、開著別人的汽車、在別人的廚房就餐等等，以此體驗當地的生活，用自己的眼睛去探索新的目的地。

為什么要共享呢？經濟下行后，人們通過共享自己擁有的房屋、車輛以及技能等資源，以創(chuàng)新的方式來賺錢，創(chuàng)造出一種基于協同消費的新經濟模式。這場“權力賦予民眾”的運動調動了一大批小型企業(yè)家，也給旅行者帶來了好處，這好處既有實際的一面（省錢、便捷和個性化的關注），也有豐富人生的一面（原汁原味的體驗和真實的人際聯系）。共享經濟還能給當地社區(qū)提供支持，鼓勵可持續(xù)性發(fā)展。

作為一種旅行方式，共享旅行受到一代又一代背包客的青睞，發(fā)展十分迅速。近年來，通過使用互聯網和社交媒體，越來越多的人可參與到共享旅行中?；ヂ摼W和社交媒體幫助旅行者與各類服務和服務提供者建立了聯系。以下是當今共享經濟中特別流行的幾種旅游方式，從房屋互換到由當地人擔任導游的獨特旅行，不一而足。

不管是在陌生人家的沙發(fā)上過夜，還是下榻奢侈的豪華套房，這種住在公寓、別墅甚至私人住所單間的新的住宿潮流在過去幾年十分熱門。這主要歸功于在2008年創(chuàng)立的為房東和旅行者提供服務的在線社區(qū)交易平臺——Airbnb。

Airbnb通過口口相傳的方式迅猛發(fā)展，吸引那些喜歡該網站所提供的當地體驗的人。Airbnb宣稱：“當你住在由Airbnb提供的住所中，你就擁有了向當地居民學習的機會。Airbnb的房東會告訴你一些別處聽不到的內幕。他們有著當地人極強的自豪感，通常會很熱切地與你分享一些小貼士，使你的旅行更加精彩?！?/p>

盡管Airbnb網站最近才進入主流，但房屋共享并不是一個新概念。HomeExchange是一家房屋交換服務公司，創(chuàng)立于互聯網時代之前的1992年，它因《戀愛假期》這部電影流行開來，幾十年來一直是旅行房主溝通聯系的平臺。公司創(chuàng)始人兼董事長艾德·庫申斯說：“協同消費是把過去的私人物品轉變?yōu)榭梢允褂没蚴浅鲎獾臇|西。無論是從額外福利還是從人際溝通來看，住在某人家里——相對訂酒店——能使旅行更劃算，而且增加了便利。”庫申斯還說：“你不必每頓飯都在餐館吃，因而可以在吃這方面省錢；也沒有那些早入住和早退房的規(guī)定；你還能得到個人化的指導和安身之處，還能認識一些人，通常是與你交換房屋的房主的朋友?！?/p>

共享座駕

你一旦預訂了要在某個陌生人家中住宿，步入共享世界的下一步自然就是駕駛陌生人的車。對于那些既想省錢又想在上路時得到更加個性化服務的旅行者來說，這種方式很有吸引力。

汽車共享的典型做法包括短時租車，通常按小時計算。租車替代了買車，這有助于讓那些非必需的車輛不再上路，環(huán)境壓力也會因此小一些。近年來，短時租車已經發(fā)展到可以滿足旅行者的長期需要。旅行者可以按天從車主那兒直接租用那些未能得到充分利用的汽車，還避免了傳統(tǒng)租車的麻煩。

RelayRides是一家汽車共享交流網站，其關注的焦點是美國的各個機場。該公司起初模仿網上租車公司Zipcar的模式，提供按需定制的服務，按小時收租金，卻發(fā)現自己比赫茲、安飛士等傳統(tǒng)汽車租賃公司更具競爭力。按照RelayRides社區(qū)和溝通總監(jiān)史蒂文·韋布的說法：“[我們的顧客]是‘有車一族，但因特別的目的[譬如旅游]想要租車，他們想要比傳統(tǒng)租車更便捷、更實惠的服務?！表f布聲稱汽車共享能幫旅行者節(jié)省高達40%的開支，此外還有挑選汽車和由車主接機的好處。

FlightCar是另一個選擇。該網站對租車者進行預先審查，通過審查的人可以租用車主停放在機場的車。對于車主來說，汽車如果租了出去，他們就能免費在機場停車，獲得一次免費洗車，還能收取租金。租車的人則能享受便宜的租車費和免費的路邊接送服務，該服務已覆蓋波士頓、洛杉磯和舊金山的機場。而諸如排隊等候、填寫各種文件、隱形附加費用這些多年來一直困擾著租車人的煩惱通通都沒有。

共享美食

協同消費不僅包括房屋和車輛，人們還渴望通過食物獲取真實的體驗。一邊是充滿激情的廚師和祖母，另一邊是想要在世界各個角落與當地居民共享家庭菜肴的饑餓旅行者，很多新興網站使兩方建立聯系變得更容易。

你可以通過這些社交餐飲網站預訂飯菜，或是預訂在私人廚房舉辦的烹飪課程。越來越多的旅行者不滿意度假勝地和旅游餐廳提供的普通食物，他們想品嘗一些更加難忘的、能反映當地文化的美食，這些網站滿足了這類旅行者的需求。這些服務會使人更加沉浸其中，服務也更具個性化，因為美食提供者往往會根據特別的飲食喜好來烹制美食，甚至會根據個人需求來定制套餐菜單。

諾亞·卡雷什在2013年與別人一道創(chuàng)建了Feastly網站，旨在幫助人們“了解當地文化，搭建聯系平臺”。他說：“這個網站就是一個載體，用于保持人際關系，并提供與食物相關的有意義的互動……可供選擇的食物有很多，有五美元的漢堡，也有100美元的多道菜肴，可以滿足所有的飲食方式?！?/p>

共享體驗

漫步于布魯克林，品味街頭藝術；坐在1975年款的“小綿羊”摩托車后座上環(huán)游巴黎；甚至和斐濟國王一起來次垂釣之旅：說到游覽目的地，Vayable這樣的網站可以幫助旅行者聯系經過審查的當地導游，從而享受根據特殊興趣定制的獨特旅行體驗。

網站創(chuàng)始人杰米·翁認為：“同當地人建立聯系能給旅行者帶來好處，旅行的特色就在于此?！边@樣的旅行可以讓人們前往新的街區(qū)，遠離那些典型的旅游景點和千篇一律的活動。翁清楚地了解到許多人都渴望真實的旅行體驗，于是創(chuàng)建了這個網站。她說：“2008年的經濟危機催生了一種需求，那就是人們需要相互聯系，需要體驗式的旅行。人們發(fā)現金錢不能使他們幸福。體驗可以?！?/p>

共享經濟中的信任與安全

共享資源、建立人際聯系以及進行文化交流的潛能或許很有吸引力，但許多旅行者都會遇到一個簡單的問題：共享旅行安全嗎？

許多此類網站和應用都會為你做初步審查。所以當你實際上還在和陌生人進行溝通時，就有許多檢查和制衡機制來全程幫助你們彼此建立信任了，讓你在了解情況后做出決定。例如，大多數此類服務網站都使用多重審查系統(tǒng)，包括通過信用卡、電話號碼、社交媒體賬戶等來核實身份。你也可以仔細閱讀資料信息和經過核實的評論，或是看看針對某位供應者的推薦。一些網站還有內嵌的聊天功能，讓客戶和供應者直接互發(fā)信息溝通，讓雙方彼此了解，同時還保護了他們的個人身份。庫申斯稱：“等你同意交換時，早就不再擔憂了。你看到了那個人，也了解了那個人，原本自然會有的擔憂便消失了?！?/p>

共享旅行的未來

盡管共享經濟向傳統(tǒng)商業(yè)模式的現狀提出了挑戰(zhàn)，但其本身也面臨著合法性和能設想到的競爭的挑戰(zhàn)。

比如，Airbnb正在和紐約州打官司，因為該網站上列出的一些公寓是“非法”出租的，州政府因此少收了數百萬美元的酒店稅。此外，據路透社報道，西雅圖市剛剛投票決議限制優(yōu)步、Lyft和Sidecar這樣的車輛共享公司的擴張，并要求駕駛者和車輛都購買與出租車標準相同的保險。

盡管監(jiān)管機構和害怕競爭的公司強制推出了這些規(guī)則，但共享經濟的倡導者們很樂觀，他們相信成功的關鍵在于協作。

根據Airbnb的說法，“共享經濟對人們來說是個新模式，但只要我們共同努力，全世界的領導者和社區(qū)成員很快會看到Airbnb如何使社區(qū)變得更強大”。

有人說，隨著共享運動合法化并成為主流，隨著其為經濟帶來的好處被人們所認識，與之相關的法律問題將變得不重要。至于旅游業(yè)，翁認為：“就社區(qū)和可持續(xù)性發(fā)展而言，共享經濟有助于擴大旅游市場……它不會取代舊市場，而是會創(chuàng)造出一個新市場?！?/p>

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.”