Till now I’m not sure the ratio between surfers and hosts on Couchsurfing. But I’m pretty sure the ratio is dramatically different between countries (or even cities).
So, even though I don’t send out copy-paste messages, my sincerity doesn’t guarantee an easy task of finding a host. I do struggle quite a lot finding hosts. And here’s what I concluded the reasons why I (or you?) cannot find a Couchsurfing host.
Admit it, You are Picky
The first thing is… You CAN find a host, but you don’t want just any host. Why?
Because maybe you are avoiding someone too different from you. Maybe that potential host has no picture. Or no reference. Or his references are all from girls. Or the host has a different sexual orientation. Or there’s not much on the profile but just ‘I have a comfortable bed’. Or the host looks violent.
Or the potential host hasn’t shown enough passion on the profile that you doubt there would be anything common to talk about… and you’d rather go camping or use airbnb than putting yourself in an awkward situation.
My opinion? Being picky protects you. Always trust your instinct. And have a plan B.
Your Profile Looks Fishy
It’s hard for the most generous person on earth to accept a stranger home without knowing his/her face, interest, occupation or gender. If your profile doesn’t seem to be authentic, or you tell nothing about yourself, then you are wasting your time trying to find a host.
My opinion? You must have a full profile, and if you are surfing, it’s best that your references show gratitude in the references you gave to your previous hosts. Hosts will look at your references to get a more objective picture of you as a person.
If you don’t have any reference, have a good profile picture that shows your face, and something you love.
You Have Competition during Busy Months
You want a couch, so do other travellers. And in peak season for travelling for that city it is especially difficult to find a host. For example, F1 season was on during the dates I was in Melbourne. So from the 50+ personal requests I made, all potential hosts declined.
My opinion? If you can plan ahead, send out requests early. Maybe to 100 hosts. You’ll improve your odds.
But if you are running out of time, don’t bother. I used airbnb.
Your Hosts Enjoy Their Vacation Months, Too!
While you are going on a vacation, so might your potential hosts be going for a get-away. I think for Northern-Hemisphere that means July and August. While I’m writing this article, I am experiencing a hard time finding a host in Oslo in July. The potential hosts are going to South Africa, Thailand, here and there for vacation.
My opinion? Keep writing requests. Be polite and stay optimistic. And have a plan B.
You Are Too Many
As a travelling family of 4, it is harder to find a host than being 1 or 2 travellers. Most people would rather host 1 or 2 strangers at home. Imagine yourself in your host’s position, how much trust must you have towards this world to invite 4+ people to stay over at your place? So yes, it is quite challenging.
My opinion? Write to every potential host, and then search again taking down one number from the total guests. Some hosts will be fine to accommodate 4 people instead of 3, or 3 instead of 2, or 2 instead of 1.
Conclusion
Just don’t give up, keep trying and stay optimistic. You can’t control every bit of your travel, but you can certainly enjoy your holiday with or without a couchsurfing host. Don’t restrict yourself because digital profile never fully portraits a person’s real life!
Traveling Mega
