Hosting and co-hosting on Airbnb – before, during and after COVID-19

Link to open access book chapter: https://uq.pressbooks.pub/airbnb-978-1-74272-321-1/chapter/hosting-and-co-hosting-on-airbnb-before-during-and-after-covid-19/

Chapter 5: COVID-19 has significantly disrupted the business operations of Airbnb. Ironically, Airbnb has created general awareness among both academics and the general population for the term disruptive innovation because the introduction of peer-to-peer traded accommodation has been one of the most disruptive developments experienced by the tourism industry in general – and the accommodation sector in particular – over the past decades. Yet, the disruptive impacts of COVID-19 on peer-to-peer accommodation trading were unevenly distributed across the key stakeholders. Tourists using Airbnb were affected by not being able to travel and by having to chase refunds. Airbnb was severely affected but survived; the same cannot be said for hosts. Hosts, arguably, have suffered most as a consequence of COVID-19. This chapter explores the host perspective, highlighting how some hosts and co-hosts lost their businesses over COVID-19, whereas others thrived by leveraging the new opportunities brought about by the pandemic.