Although the combination of addressing loneliness and professional hosting may initially seem contradictory, these businesses can create shared value for both professional Hosts and their guests and communities
I know of some professional hosting businesses that enhance and promote the entire economic ecosystem. They help guests immerse themselves in the local culture, customs, and products. In turn, that can generate a sense of familiarity, belonging, and a desire to return.
I have also worked at several nonprofit companies whose mission, alongside their tourist hospitality activities, is to create projects and services for guests with different needs, like travelers, refugees, workers, and students.
My first working experience was in social cooperation. For many years, I welcomed migrant women and older people with Alzheimer’s disease who were hosted in community facilities. I learned what it means to support people with different needs and backgrounds. I carry this experience with me today as a Host.
A few months ago, I partnered with some colleagues at the social organization where I currently work to start a guest house called @home. It’s located in a small town in the Lecco province in Italy and serves female students and young workers looking for stable accommodation. We’ve welcomed teachers from southern Italy, international students at the Polytechnic University of Milan, supermarket saleswomen on relocation, and single mothers with newborn children.
This guest house can accommodate up to seven women. It shares the common areas of the large house with a group of Ukrainian refugees, who are part of international protection projects. Older village residents also come to play cards and participate in other activities twice a week.
We recently organized a welcome gathering where the Ukrainian women cooked some of their traditional dishes and the girls from the guest house helped my colleagues prepare for the event.
A moment of getting to know each other, sharing and celebrating to warm the hearts, not to feel lonely and to discover new ways of living together under the same roof, even if in separate units and with very different needs.
The decision to list the guest house on Airbnb resulted from the desire to make the home accessible to as many women as possible.
Mary, Angela, Elizabeth, the three students/workers at @home
Daniel, Delphine, Tatiya, and I are sharing our experiences with addressing loneliness through hosting and look forward to reading about your experiences. Read what Daniel, Delphine and Tatiya have to share about their experiences below:
We would to hear from you:
