 Why is the lack of hotel space important for Simon's story?
When Simon continued to say nothing she ventured, "Time travel is impossible." It's my contention that within a century or so man will have solved the problems of immortality and eternal youth, and it's also my suspicion that he will eventually be able to travel in time. Simon said, "You want to hire me to find a time traveler and in some manner or other—any manner will do—exhort from him the secret of eternal life and youth, which you figure the future will have discovered. Each tent contained benches and tables for about five thousand persons and from six to ten thousands pack themselves in, competing for room.
 It set the stage for him to encounter an alien's home for himself.
 It made him cut his trip short without finding any time travelers.  Simon would have to learn how to time travel in order to keep his bag from being stolen.  It set the stage for him to encounter an alien's home for himself.  It meant he would find a number of unsavory characters as he tried to find somewhere to sleep.