Home Exchange: A Sustainable Solution to Over-Tourism

Travelling is a great way to explore new cultures and open our mind to the world. However, over the last couple of years, travelling has surged and over-tourism has become a buzzword in the travel industry.

We've all seen the headlines: popular holiday destinations from Barcelona to Edinburgh are struggling with overcrowded streets, spiking rent prices, and the Airbnb effect, where entire neighbourhoods shift from homes to short-term rentals.

But, there's a way to travel that is preserving the local cultures and gives you a richer, more local experience - home exchange.

Unlike Airbnb, which can turn a local apartment into a rotating door of tourists, home exchanges involve real homes - where people actually live. You’re not booking a space designed to feel like a hotel. Instead, you're swapping places with someone else for a short time, making sure the home stays just that - a home.

Think of it like this: it's the difference between staying at a friend's house versus booking an Airbnb. When you do a home exchange, you're staying in someone’s home, sitting where they usually do, at the same kitchen table, and it feels like an invitation to be a local - even if only for a little while.

Experience the warmth of staying in real family homes

Why is home exchange a better way to travel?

The issue with platforms like Airbnb is the shift in housing availability. 

In major tourist cities, locals find themselves priced out of their own neighbourhoods. It's sad to think that the rise of short-term rentals has left so many areas devoid of that local flavour we all seek when travelling. The charm that drew people to these places is fading, and it's now a real struggle for the people who actually live there.

By swapping homes instead of renting them out, you're helping preserve the character of local communities. You're staying in a place that’s meant to be lived in, not just another tourist rental. It’s travel that feels more personal and respectful, and it’s a step towards easing the burden on overcrowded destinations.

Ditch the tourist traps and live like a local!

A Practical Solution

Staying in real homes: You’re literally swapping homes. This means one less tourist apartment in a neighbourhood and more preservation of local spaces.

No extra development: By choosing to home exchange, you’re not adding to the construction of new properties or turning homes into profit-driven businesses; instead, you’re simply sharing spaces as they were meant to be - places for living, not just for profit.

An immersive experience: Instead of being in a tourist hotspot, you could end up in a neighbourhood that doesn’t even feature on travel blogs, allowing you to experience your destination in a way that feels more authentic and unique.

We know that home exchanging isn’t without flaws.

For starters, it’s not yet as big as some of the major platforms out there - but maybe that’s a good thing. Having a smaller community means that every home you stay in is a real one, with people who care about their community, their neighbours, and their space.

Swap with like-minded families and make lasting connections

Curious about how to travel in a more local, authentic, and sustainable way? Home swapping might be your answer.

At Keybento, we’re working to create a community of family travellers who are seeking unique and sustainable experiences through home swapping. Why not take a moment to a read about who we are, how we work, and why we do what we do.