ENTER2018 eTourism Conference presentation

1. ENTER 2018 Research Track Slide Number 1
Well-Being and Sharing Economy
Lidija Lalicica
Department of Tourism and Service Management
MODUL University Vienna, Austria
lidija.lalicic@modul.ac.at

2. ENTER 2018 Research Track Slide Number 2
Study setting
• The concept of well-being
• Interviews with Airbnb Hosts in Vienna
• Survey across Amsterdam, Melbourne and
Vienna hosts communities (on-going)
Does participation in the sharing economy leads to higher
level of well-being and in which way?

3. ENTER 2018 Research Track Slide Number 3
Interviews
Financial benefits
•Opportunity they had to start being a
host
•Hotel background
•Not being alone
‘I am now in the possibility to earn
enough money for my therapy’
‘even if Airbnb fails I have learned
enough skills to continue and feel much
more secure’
‘’ I started thinking about renting out a
room I my apartment six months before
my brother left’’
‘’I can now go on bigger holidays while I
still can pay my rent even when I am not
there’’
Social benefits
•Freedom and independence
•Meeting new people and being the connector
•Proud of their homes and cities
‘I really enjoy the opportunity to show my guests
around in the city I live in, it gives me a lot of
satisfaction’
‘I believe that I have a talent for hosting people and
my goal is to do it really cool.. ‘
‘ I feel like I can help people and connect them with
each other’

4. ENTER 2018 Research Track Slide Number 4
Interviews
Regulations
•Acceptance vs not-acceptance
•Not afraid for fines
•Sad for the community original idea
‘If regulations become too complicated
for me, I will simply finish renting my
apartment through Airbnb’
‘’If the regulations changes, would be a
shame but I will accept it.’
‘Since Airbnb is being 'misused' by too
many professionals, the community
feeling is gone. And I feel sad about all
the bad publicity around the system.’
Burdens
•Freedom and independence
•Meeting new people and being the connector
•Proud of their homes
’The more guests I receive the more tiresome it
because and I am more distant, which is also OK,
but then it feels more like a job’
‘’I can not be so spontaneous and my weekends are
different, I have to wait for my guests and prepare,
that is not so fun’

5. ENTER 2018 Research Track Slide Number 5
Surveys (on-going) (n=63)
Time engagement:
• 10-20% of the day – on average 5-10 hours per week
• Responding to guests request: 43%
• Actual hosting 30%
• Facilitating services around hosting: 27%
Hosting style:
• 50% hosts alone, 33% with partner or other
• Focus on in-home hospitality 75% or they to maintain the normal course of my daily life 65%
Benefits vs. Burdens:
•hosting makes economic sense
•the socio-psychological benefits (i.e., making friends) surpasses any socio-psychological burdens
(i.e, worries) 75% agrees
•the physical benefits (i.e., local dining) surpasses any physical losses (i.e., cleaning) 25% agrees
•spatial benefits (i.e., getting to know my city) surpasses any spatial costs (i.e, expenditures) 30%
agrees, 50% is neutral
•stress, as I constantly worry about guests (60% agrees)
•annoyance (i.e., I need to maneuver between daily life and hosting) (40% agrees)
•discomfort (i,e., change of daily habits and routines) and a loss of privacy (40% agrees)

6. ENTER 2018 Research Track Slide Number 6
Most important motivations:
•I want to make extra money 90%
•I like to meet other people 80%
•I like to make visitors feel at home in my city 75%
•I want to contribute to sustainability 60%
•I am able to pay my bills 60%
•The number of jobs available for people of my education
and skills is limited (30%)
•I do not feel lonely when hosting 30%
Surveys (on-going) (n=63)
Sociopsychologial well-being:
•I think that the society where I live in does allow me to realize
my full potential: 75% agrees
•Bad moments in my daily life have decreased: no clear answer
tendency
•I enjoy more of the little things every day
•I think that I can share more of myself when it comes to
important things (not agreeing)
•I feel more able to solve the majority of my daily problems
(neutral)
•I feel more connected to the people around me (no clear
answer)
•My life consists of more learning and experiences that make me
grow (40% agrees)
•I think my life is more useful and worthwhile (40% agrees)
•I have more energy to accomplish my daily tasks (30 agrees, 40%
does not agree)
•I am more satisfied with my life (40% agrees)
Social support:
•Most of my friends and family think it is a good
idea that I participate in the sharing economy (i.e.,
Airbnb)
• I have a strong sense of belonging to the hosts of
the Airbnb community
• Happy 75%

7. ENTER 2018 Research Track Slide Number 7
Pre-lim conclusions
- Offers opportunities to engage with the destination, doing
good for peers
- Regulations are to certain degree accepted
- Well-being is mainly positively enhanced on a general life,
people are feeling satisfied and have the change to
connect and have new experiences, (social & learning)
- Community feeling is important for many hosts and feel
supported