The "sharing economy," as the internet resource-pooling businesses has been named, has been slowly taking over more of the economy over the years. Generating an estimated 26 billion dollars last year, the sharing economy stretches across the auto industry (Zipcar), clothing swaps (ThredUP), home sharing (Airbnb), and homestays (us!). There's a lot of regulatory debate on whether or not this emerging private business is a good thing. Who does this new economy benefit?

For the home sharing and homestay industries, the economic benefits seen in the less traditionally tourist areas have been clear. Families who share their homes make money that helps them cover their basic needs and students and travelers spend money in their local neighborhood [1]. This benefits both local businesses and helps build a tourism industry in their area [2].

Staying in more commercial neighborhoods also gives visitors a more genuine experience of the city they are in. Instead of only seeing the area around a school or hotel, students can experience what it's really like to live there. Though the debate about the sharing economy continues, we at Ojisu are certainly proud to contribute to local business by sending our students to families across America.

[1]FTC. "Shared Opportunity: How Airbnb Benefits Communities." Shared Opportunity: How Airbnb Benefits Communities (n.d.): n. pag. Ftc.gov. FTC. Web.

[2] B. G. Edelman and D. Geradin. Efficiencies and Regulatory Shortcuts: How Should We Regulate Companies like Airbnb and Uber? Harvard Business School NOM Unit Working Paper, (16-026), 2015