Residents’ support for P2P accommodation in mass tourism destinations

Abstract

Recently, the sharing economy has made a disruptive incursion into the tourism industry. Companies like Airbnb or Wimdu have successfully developed platforms that grant access to accommodation in private homes. However, it seems that conflicts with locals have arisen in different destinations. This study provides an explanatory model to show how the perception of the impacts of the activity influences residents’ attitudes and support. The model was examined using a sample of 1,088 residents in Tenerife (Spain). Results confirm that resident support is directly and positively affected by their perception of the social and cultural impacts, and especially by the economic impacts. It has not been possible to prove the influence of their perception of environmental impacts. Evidence has been gained that perceptions strongly depend on whether locals benefit personally from the activity, and to a lesser extent on their attitude toward the sharing economy and on the state of the local economy.