Airbnb as a Socially Disturbing Innovative Phenomenon: The Non-Commercial Resident and Provider Perspective in Central Prague

Abstract

Airbnb is a platform allowing peer-to-peer accommodation options for people sharing their own extra space. Though it sounds like a simple method of sharing and exchanging values in a sharing economy, however, there are many challenges behind its implementation. It is crucial to look at both sides of the coin to understand not only what it brings but what it causes as well. Airbnb is a comparatively new phenomenon in modern times and changes traditional tourist behaviour as well as the accommodation situation in the market. It is a big part of the sharing economy and brings a range of socioeconomic advantages and disadvantages to stakeholders. It is assumed as a sustainable, multi-stakeholder beneficial form of accommodation service provision and contributes to inclusive destination development. However, the uncontrollable utilisation of residents’ spare spaces also leads to concerns related to social disturbance, and erosion of neighbourhood social capital. This qualitative research uses semi-structured interviews to collect the primary data from providers of Airbnb spaces and the local non-commercial residents of that geographical area in Central Prague. The findings compare the perspectives of providers and residents and provide useful insights related to opportunities and concerns for the stakeholders related to social disturbance due to this disruptive innovation.

Keywords: Airbnb, Accommodation, Space, Tourist Behaviour, Social Disturbance, Sharing Economy, Sustainable, Non-Commercial Residents, Destination

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