Revisiting Airbnb’s disruption of hotels: Uneven impacts across markets, segments, and accommodation types

Abstract

This study explores the impact of home-sharing platforms, like Airbnb, on the hotel industry by analyzing data from Barcelona, London, and Paris. The results reveal that Airbnb supply negatively impacts hotel RevPAR, with the severity of the effect varying by market, hotel segment, and type of Airbnb listing. Notably, the influence of Airbnb supply differs significantly between markets, being generally less pronounced in the Economy and Luxury hotel segments compared to mid-range segments, though this pattern varies by city. Both types of Airbnb listings have statistically significant effects on hotel performance, but the economic impact is typically weaker for 'non-hotel comparables.' These findings provide valuable insights for hotel managers and policymakers as they navigate the evolving dynamics between home-sharing platforms and the traditional hotel industry.