This trend, which allows travelers to stay without accommodation costs, has captured the interest of many residents. One user, a retired teacher, recounts how this modality has transformed her way of traveling, enabling her to visit destinations like Amsterdam in a 17th-century house without incurring lodging expenses.
“"It has been a before and after in my way of traveling."
The platform used by this user is part of a global community of over 550,000 people in more than 155 countries. On this platform alone, the number of users in the archipelago has grown by 48% in the last year, with over 1,500 islanders offering their homes. The user has completed 142 exchanges, both hosting visitors in her home in La Laguna or another property in Puerto de la Cruz, and traveling to other countries or within the islands themselves.
The rise of this practice is attributed to a desire for more “respectful and local” tourism, according to a platform spokesperson in Spain. This model, which involves no economic requirements beyond lending one's own home, has been boosted by the rising costs of traditional accommodations. The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from March highlighted that accommodation and restaurant activities were the second sector with the highest year-on-year price increase in Canarias, at 5.2%.
International interest in this travel mode is also reflected in the increase in overnight stays in the Islands, reaching 120,000 nights through exchanges. Although these figures are smaller compared to major players in the sector, the spokesperson emphasizes continuous growth and the promotion of a different way of local tourism. The aforementioned user has hosted visitors primarily from Italy, France, and Germany, who seek a more authentic experience and the possibility of teleworking from a different environment.
The Canary Islands rank as the seventh region in Spain with the highest number of subscribers to this platform. Despite the strong tourism presence in the archipelago, the availability of homes for exchange is a key factor. Leading regions in this modality include Catalonia, Andalusia, Valencia, Madrid, and Euskadi. Nevertheless, the data for Canarias are considered very positive, highlighting the islands' appeal for both peninsular and international tourism.
