App finds lodging in college dorms
Empty college dorms are used in affordable accommodation app
Stitched onto the side of a welltravelled backpack, not far from an obligatory Canadian flag, is a patch from Byron Bay, Australia.
It’s a coastal town at the country’s easternmost point, one of many places Rob Evans visited during a break from his university studies in the late 1990s. It’s also the place where the idea for Backpacker College was born.
At the root of Backpacker College, a new accommodation booking app, is the belief that the desire to see the world shouldn’t be thwarted by concerns about finding a safe, affordable place to stay.
“The more I’ve travelled, the more people I meet, the more I realize that we share more in common than we do differences,” said Evans, Backpacker College’s founder and president. “I believe absolutely that the more people travel, the better the world will be.”
Evans worked for a few months in Australia to help finance his journey; one of his jobs was at an upscale hostel, the type that he felt would appeal to even the most discerning, budget-minded travelers.
Now, the hostelling industry in North America isn’t nearly as developed as it is in other parts of the world. But Evans knew there was another source of economical but under-publicized rooms just waiting for visitors during the peak summer travel season — college and university campuses.
“This gap in the market meant that it was an opportunity,” he said. “That was the genesis of Backpacker College for me, to leverage underutilized beds in college towns.”
Evans, a Wilfrid Laurier University political science grad, worked for several years in the local tech industry in sales and business development. Those roles, for firms including Desire2Learn, Maplesoft and LiveHive Systems, often meant travel, and business visits to post-secondary campuses — and meant that Evans’ idea for Backpacker College was never too far from his thoughts.
He incorporated the business in 2016, having made a successful pitch to the Accelerator Centre in Waterloo. His company is based there, with nine employees.
The Backpacker College website and mobile apps for iOS and Android list available accommodations at college and university residences and dorms first, followed by other affordable hostel and hotel choices in the area. Travelers can book directly; Evans said he also has distribution partnerships with sites including Expedia and Priceline.
After initially launching in Canada, Evans and his team are working to expand the site’s global reach.
“At some point, every country that has colleges or universities will have Backpacker College beds in it,” he said.
Accommodation providers pay a fee to the company every time there’s a booking. Evans said it’s an affordable way for the schools, especially, to market their available rooms to a wider audience.
Travelers can take advantage of Backpacker College blogs and social media posts that highlight things to do in different destinations. While on-campus accommodations may be more prevalent during the summer months, Evans said more and more institutions are renting available beds year-round.
Evans went into the venture thinking the majority of users would be under the age of 25. So far, he’s found about half fall into that demographic, with the others a mix of young working professionals, families and retirees.
The start of the school season may be approaching, but Evans equates travel to lifelong learning. “There are so many different ways to learn about life, in and outside of a classroom,” he said. “Backpacker College makes that easier.”