Travels organized via Airbnb: experiences of travellers in Lithuania

Abstract

Airbnb is a platform that helps to organize travelling to various directions. The platform unites three types of actors: service providers, intermediaries and consumers. Interconnections among them and provided services create advantages and disadvantages at micro, mezzo and macro levels. In overall, at macro level, Airbnb platform extends possibilities to plan a trip and book travel related services. Low prices of accommodation promote tourism that increase the level of living of all the country. At mezzo, e.g. group level, relatively low prices of accommodation make travels available to most people independently of their social group or level of living. Among advantages, to be mentioned also that booking of accommodation in host country via Airbnb contribute to socio-cultural exchange: make possibility of direct communication with local people, provide immediate information on indigenous traditions, etc. On the other hand, favourable conditions to travel like acceptable costs of accommodation increase pollution, congestion and other macro level problems. At micro level, accommodation booking in private sector often means uncertainty related to accommodation conditions and services. The list of all these advantages and disadvantages is not final, there are a lot other aspects to be explored. The research aim is to explore and identify advantages and disadvantages of travel in Lithuania organized via Airbnb. The main research questions are the following: What aspects of hosting via Airbnb are characteristics? What are experiences of travellers and guests in Lithuania? Which expectations and how were satisfied? And which expectations were not satisfied? The main data source is database created from the comments provided by the travellers / guests who booked accommodation in Lithuania via Airbnb. The comments analysed in composition with information provided by owners on conditions of accommodations and etc. The presentation is based on results of over 300 places’ of this sharing economy analysis.