Airbnb for campers also lists every public campsite in the US

Hipcamp is an Airbnb for camping that enables private landowners to rent out their property, and lists every public campsite in the US.

Thanks to a plethora of third party rental platforms, it is now possible to sublet a holiday home almost anywhere in the world. Now, for those who prefer the great outdoors to a city break, Hipcamp is an Airbnb for camping. The platform enables private landowners to rent out their land to campers, and also offers comprehensive, searchable listings of all the 300,000 campsites in the US.

Hipcamp recently launched their landsharing platform in California with their first coup of private land campsites, as well as every public campsite in all 50 states. All listings include multiple photographs, information about amenities, and activities and exact locations. Users can check pricing and availability and can use the secure platform to make bookings — although campers are currently sent to another private company to make any bookings for campgrounds in national and state parks.

Hipcamp is currently offering private landowners USD 500 to sign up and new members USD 500 credit to refer a friend with a beautiful plot, in order to expand its offerings. The startup will also help new campgrounds prepare for visitors — creating signage and fixing up toilet and kitchen facilities. Since approximately 60 percent of the US is private land, the startup has plenty of opportunity for expansion.

How else could the sharing economy be used to encourage outdoors adventures?