Opportunities and Challenges of Sustainable Sharing in the Accommodation Sector

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2022 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1,3, University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt (Faculty of Business), language: English, abstract: The purpose of this paper was to examine the long-term viability of three different accommodation sharing platforms (Airbnb, Fairbnb, and Couchsurfing) by evaluating the literature and other source materials available. These platforms' potential and challenges have been highlighted, as well as how each of these platforms contributes to various elements of sustainability. The results indicate that these platforms play different roles in various elements of sustainability. These platforms reduce overproduction and consumption by utilizing spare bedrooms and reducing the need for new hotel constructions. They also make travel more affordable, provide income opportunities (Airbnb & Fairbnb), and promote social interactions. However, they do have certain drawbacks as well. Low-cost travel may encourage people to travel more, resulting in higher CO2 emissions, which may have more negative than positive consequences. However, as shown by the effects of several regulations adopted by different cities, such adverse impacts can be minimized with strict government regulations. Nonetheless, while effective and suitable regulation might help to mitigate the negative effects of these platforms, it is difficult to estimate their exact sustainability repercussions. As a result, this paper calls for a more open examination of accommodation sharing services.