Couchsurfing as a touristic product

Abstract

A motive for this publication theme choice is the wish to show meaningful changes and transformations which reached the tourist market and it is also connected with the appearance of new forms of spare time spending. Such phenomena as couchsurfing, in the meaning manner, influence the tourist traffic both quantitatively and qualitatively. Ideally they reflect existing trends and the demand on the low-budget tourism which reigns in the current situation of economic crisis. The aim of the article is to present the novel and innovative part of couchsurfing as the newly developed product on the tourist market which ideally suits people looking for new experiences in spending their leasure time. The publication shows the meaning of couchsurfing phenomenon as an essential and important element characterizing the contemporary tourist market, possessing also stigmas of fashion and lifestyle embracing more and more wider social groups in the area of Poland and also abroad. The article contains the results of the author’s research. The survey was carried out between July and August 2011 on the group of randomly selected people who actively cultivate coachsurfing. The respondents were the dwellers of cities and villages and they were the members of wwww.coachsurfing.com portal. Some valuable information was also obtained through direct conversations and telephone interviews with the participants of this tourist activity. Due to the diverse professional profile, age or patchy experience in practicing cauchsurfing, the results were very representative. The publication, presenting the analysis of statistical data concerning the new kind of tourism, evaluates changes that happened and also makes an attempt of prognoses of the idea of couchsurfing development in the face of the uncertain future economic situation.