
Washington - In 2019, you can turn your phone into an arsenal of travel tools.
When you fire up the app store, the first options are to be expected - Kayak, Expedia and other traditional online travel agents; in-flight shopping; TripAdvisor; and airlines. But if you keep digging, you'll find options that wouldn't exist if not for the sharing economy.
Peer-to-peer transactions, in which one party buys a service and the other lands a gig, are on the rise and can be found in seemingly every category. In lieu of boarding your pet at a doggy day care, you can find an independent dog-sitter to come stay at your house. Instead of renting a storage unit, you can reserve space in the garage of a stranger who has the room.
There are plenty of these so-called sharing-economy websites and apps to check out for travel purposes, whether you're taking care of logistics or just want to have a good time in a new city. Here are a few to try on your next trip.
We don't have to tell you about Airbnb. You probably already know about some other popular hotel alternatives, too, like Vbro and HomeAway. But there are some other platforms out there that cater to different groups and interests worth exploring.