By Doyinsola Oladipo
New York – Lillian Smith has spent about eight of the last 12 months travelling around the world, hitting France, Morocco, Japan and South Korea.
Her cost for lodgings in that time? About one night in a hotel, along with the time she spent walking dogs, watering plants and changing litter boxes.
“I have always dreamt of travelling to Japan but didn't have the budget for hotels and Airbnbs,” said the 30-year-old freelance designer from Mississippi. Her solution was to agree to house-sit, walk dogs, and care for plants for people around the globe.
Economic activity has slowed in recent months, but many still yearn to quench their thirst for travel that grew out of sitting at home during the coronavirus pandemic. Travel rates are rising, and are now higher than before the pandemic, but travel-hungry consumers are finding creative ways to save money and still vacation.
Some are taking road trips instead of flying or booking a budget hotel room. Others are more innovative - spending $100 to $250 (about R2 000 to R5 000) for annual memberships to websites that connect them with people who need simple chores done while their dwellings are vacant.
VACATIONS WITH CHORES
Smith said she has house-sat in France, Morocco, Japan and South Korea after spending $169 on the cost of an annual membership to Trusted Housesitters, a platform that connects pet owners with in-home sitters.
She estimates she has saved over $11 000 in accommodations even though she still must pay for plane tickets.
"I took care of three cats and 20-plus plants while I was in Morocco, one dog in Tokyo, one dog in Kobe, and two cats in South Korea," said Smith.
UK-based Trusted Housesitters said its membership figures increased 12% to 160 000 in the past quarter, led by growth in the United States.
Paris-based Nomador, a house-sitting platform, saw a 60% increase in new sitters from the last quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2023, CEO Mathilde Ferrari said.
Some travellers are also turning to unlimited house-swapping. US company Home Exchange said membership levels in the first quarter increased 77% year over year to 110 000 and exchanges increased 63%.
Trusted Housesitters said its sitters rarely face immigration issues but in certain countries like the US and Britain,house-sitting has occasionally been incorrectly categorized as work and required a work visa over a tourist visa.
"As long as the homeowner is not requiring work and compensating specifically for that work, it cannot be construed as unauthorized employment under the Immigration Nationality Act," said New York-based immigration Attorney, Afia Yunus.
"Arguably even an Airbnb would require us to take out the trash and do different things as they relate to staying in the home."
Trusted Housesitters said sitters and homeowners pay the platform directly and that money is never exchanged between the two parties.
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