glenadmin posted on November 02, 2009 15:45
Glen Unruh says he’s “never met a birder he didn’t like,” and he wants to meet them all over the world. That is why, along with his wife, Jennifer, he developed the website, BirdersHostingBirders.com, an online community of traveling birders willing to open their homes to other traveling birders.
The concept for this site was developed over several years as Glen and Jennifer traveled North America pursuing their shared passions of travel, birding, and meeting new people. Usually, they stay in bed-and-breakfasts because they enjoy sharing their experiences with other travelers. And like most birders, no matter the reason for their travels, they always manage to fit in some birding, wherever they are.
Their site, BirdersHostingBirders.com, allows traveling birders from around the world to connect with each other to share resources, particularly a place to stay while they are traveling. Members of BirdersHostingBirders.com agree to host other members in their homes at no charge in exchange for the opportunity to stay with other members when they travel.
Current economic conditions have impacted household budgets all over the world, making travel costs an important factor when planning a birding adventure. Unruh feels BirdersHostingBirders.com will provide a valuable resource to birders, allowing them to save substantially on their travel-related expenses. For example, birders who spend $125-$150 per night on lodging could save $375-600 on a three to four-day trip by staying with other members of BirdersHostingBirders.com.
The cost savings are enticing, says Unruh, yet beyond that, the real value seems to come from the enhanced experience; spending time with other traveling birders who also know the favorite local birding spots makes for an immediate and warm connection, and therefore the travelers inevitably feel like they’re meeting up with close friends.
Unruh has been passionate about birding since he was a young boy and introduced his wife to the hobby when they first met. Although Jennifer indeed found that birding added to her enjoyment of nature and travel, she is not as committed a birder as her husband. This is common among many couples, and for that reason, the website and online community is even more of a valuable resource as the birding vacation becomes as much about making new friends as it does about birding.
“The recent re-launch of our website has been well-received, and we’re excited to watch our small membership grow into a larger online community. Traveling birders are finding value in the opportunity to save money and connect with other birders around the world,” says Unruh, “and that makes our commitment to this endeavor so rewarding.”
BirdersHostingBirders.com is an online, world-wide community of traveling birders, who have agreed to open their homes to each other, in the interest of enhancing birding adventures and building new friendships.
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