There have been plenty of industry surveys produced looking at the Airbnb phenomenon – but the academic analyses have been slower to emerge.

One such study was published by Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, in August this year, covering an in-depth survey and analysis on just under 1,000 respondents in Canada.

Dr Daniel Guttentag, an assistant professor Ryerson’s Hospitality and Tourism Management unit, says the emergence of Airbnb has “quite rapidly shifted the entire tourism accommodation landscape”.

“It has done so by introducing an innovative product that appeals to a broad range of consumer motivations, which are felt at varying levels by different guests.”

Airbnb, coupled with wider use of the internet and mobile, “presents a special challenge traditional accommodations”, he says.

But he adds:

“While the threat that Airbnb poses to traditional accommodations remains a matter of much debate, it would be short-sighted for hoteliers to dismiss Airbnb or discount its potential future impacts.”

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