The Covid-19 pandemic and the accommodation sharing sector: Effects and prospects for recovery

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120733Get rights and content

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has spread like wildfire across the globe. The hospitality industry, including the accommodation sharing sector, has been one of the hardest hit. Renting an Airbnb property, sharing a room via Couchsurfing and exchanging homes via LoveHomeSwap became almost impossible under the new restrictions. This paper analyses the effects of the Covid-19 crisis on the accommodation sharing sector and conceptually uncovers the underlying reasons for its disruption. We submit that the main strengths of the accommodation sharing sector, which originally drove its rise, became its weaknesses during the pandemic. An asset-light business model, the intermediation of physical transactions via online platforms, a reliance on individually owned and underused properties, and the popularization of access over ownership propelled the initial expansion of this sector. However, these all backfired during the pandemic. The paper outlines potential avenues for the post-pandemic recovery of accommodation sharing and presents future directions for research.

Keywords

Accommodation sharing
Sharing economy
Covid-19 pandemic
Post-pandemic recovery

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Dr Oksana Gerwe is the Associate Professor at the Division of Globalisation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy and the Director of the MBA Programme at Brunel Business School, Brunel University London.  Her research interests range from the sharing economy to peer-to-peer business models to disruptive innovation. [email protected] Brunel University London, Brunel Business School

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