Hosting with Servas is a great way to travel the world without leaving home. Meeting people from other countries and discovering how the world looks through their eyes can be enlightening, exciting and fun. Whether your aim is to make new friends, let your children meet people from different cultures or contribute to the peace movement, Servas can add a special new dimension to life.
Servas has developed a worldwide hospitality network of more than 15000 members in more than 100 countries on five continents. Servas hosts are united by their desire to offer opportunities for goodwill visits, allowing for deeper, more personal contacts between people of diverse cultures and backgrounds from around the globe.
Servas hosts welcoming travellers share their daily lives with them. Servas travellers usually stay with a host for two days. Over a friendly meal or a coffee, there is time to take understanding to another level, by exchanging ideas on all kinds of topics.
Responsibilities - How to host
- Please respond promptly to travellers’ applications for accommodation.
- Hosts must verify, on or before arrival, that the Traveller has a Valid Letter of Introduction.
- Provide accommodation to the Traveller for 1 or 2 nights, provided the visit is mutually agreeable. Hosting is voluntary and hosts are not compelled to accept travellers if it is not convenient at the time for them to do so.
- If you are unable to provide accommodation, you may wish to contact alternative hosts to help the Traveller secure accommodation.
- If you do not wish to arrange an alternative host, advise the Traveller to contact other Servas Hosts in your area or the Regional Host Coordinator. The Coordinator will be aware of new Hosts who may not be yet listed in the Servas Host List.
- Hosts do not have to arrange transport for Travellers to or from the Host’s house, but Hosts may assist.
- Be prepared to assist Travellers with advice on further travel, where to go, how to get there, as well as shopping, laundry, tourist, cultural and other facilities.
- Spend time with Travellers to facilitate cultural exchange that may help build international understanding and world peace.
- Try to make Travellers feel welcome.
- Start a visitor’s book to record visitor’s name, address, pictures, comments etc.
- Keep a record of the details of each visit as these will be used to for compile statistics required by Servas International on an annual basis.
- Keep your host details up to date in www.servas.org and Confirm your Profile.
- The Servas membership fee is payable annually. You will be reminded when it is due by email and /or by the Servas Newsletter.
- If you have any issues with a Servas Traveller e.g. They are not respecting their Servas roles and responsibilities, gently attempt to discuss and resolve your concerns with them. Failing this raise your concerns with your Host Coordinator.