Women empowerment in peer-to-peer accommodation settings: perspectives of female Airbnb hosts

Abstract

Despite the growing number of studies on women empowerment in tourism, the topic has received scant attention in the expanding sector of peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation. This paper sets out to explore the perceptions of female Airbnb hosts regarding the ways in which hosting on the platform contributes to their empowerment. Semi-structured interviews with 30 female hosts located in Greece were undertaken, using purposive sampling. Study findings reveal that women empowerment through hosting is achieved varyingly by female hosts, with several factors influencing the process. A framework of women empowerment through hosting is provided to illustrate the conditions, process and outcomes of women empowerment through hosting. Study findings provide significant theoretical insights which may serve as a point of departure for further research into this under-researched topic. Findings also make a practical contribution as they enable policymakers and industry practitioners to improve gender equality, which is essential for sustainable development.

Keywords:

• Women empowerment
• peer-to-peer accommodation
• Airbnb
• female hosts

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.