Hungarian consumers’ attitude to accommodation sharing service

Abstract

Business models based on sharing concept are becoming more successful, newer and newer models are still appearing. One of the best known examples is Airbnb, which is based on accommodation sharing activities. Airbnb connects private persons with each other through an Internet platform, where individuals offer their own homes or flats for short term rentals to other individuals (typically tourists). In the first part of our study, we present different approaches of sharing economy, and the basic operating mechanisms of tourism. In the second part of the study, on the basis of a Hungarian nationwide representative sample, we present the rate of people, who are familiar with such a services and how open are they to use these services along different demographic indicators. Our results show that the demographic characteristics examined (gender, economic status, marital status, educational level, financial situation, place of residence) influence the openness of people towards accommodation-sharing activities, and the results always show a significant relationship. We have found that men, active workers, non-family, younger generations, metropolitan and wealthy people are more open to using accommodation- sharing activities.