TV star will help you find a place to stay
You may know Ashton Kutcher as the television star of “Two and a Half Men.” But he’s also known as a social media expert and the official “strategic advisor” to the new startup airbnb.com.
"For many, Ashton Kutcher is an actor and heart throb, but in the tech scene, he's made his mark as a branding and new media expert with an eye for great ideas and a fearless approach to new markets," Airbnb said in a blog post. Kutcher is an investor in the iPad news-reading app Flipboard, among other social connections.
Airbnb bills itself as a "community marketplace for unique spaces." It allows users to find lodging of any type, ranging from a castle to an apartment.
It’s somewhat of a cross between couchsurfing.org, which is mainly aimed at backpackers, to more traditional hotel finding sites.
The site allows participants to become hosts and make money by renting out their place.
Travelers then book online, pay through PayPal, and contact the host directly to confirm check-in details.
The San Francisco-based company claims listings in over 8,000 cities and 166 countries that range from private apartments to private islands.
By David Wilkening
David
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