Looking to get to Philly for the World Cup? Swap homes, not cash
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Photo: Courtesy of HomeExchange
If you're looking to barter your way into one of this year's World Cup host cities, there's an easier route than opening your wallet: open up your home.
Why it matters: Some travelers chasing a bucket-list experience without the astronomical price tag are turning to HomeExchange, a subscription-based platform that lets people around the world swap homes.
The big picture: FIFA canceled about 2,000 of the 10,000 hotel reservations made in Philadelphia — rooms set aside for FIFA, media and attendees — as part of a broader accommodations rollback across host cities.
- The sudden cancellation could make it harder for hotels to rebook those rooms ahead of this summer's matches. Meanwhile, fans are already facing high prices for tickets and travel, plus a shortage of available accommodations in some host cities.
Driving the news: With the World Cup three months out, HomeExchange says it has seen a spike in interest from people looking to swap homes in the Philly region.
- Exchanges in the region finalized in January were up 93% from the same time last year, and 42% in February.
Zoom in: HomeExchange tells Axios that more than 150 Philly homes are still available for Philadelphia's World Cup matches this summer.
By the numbers: The platform has more than 275,000 members and more than 550,000 homes listed in 155 countries.
- The Philly region has more than 400 listings, the majority of which are in Center City.
How it works: Think a mashup between Airbnb and a timeshare.
It's a $235 flat annual fee to join HomeExchange, which allows members to book unlimited swaps.
- It's up to hosts to figure out when reciprocal swaps work best for them, though the platform also offers another option where members can earn points for opening up their home without doing an exchange.
The intrigue: If you're looking to do the mansion tour, the platform also offers a luxe version with a $1,000 membership (increasing to $1,500 on April 8).
What they're saying: Some swappers even develop lifelong connections, HomeExchange's Jessica Poillucci tells Axios.
- "A lot of people really do like the connection aspect," she says. "It's not required to become friends with the people you're exchanging with, but a lot of times it does happen naturally."