Airbnb-Gastgeber als Akteure im New Urban Tourism: Beweggründe zur Partizipation aus Anbieterperspektive

Urban tourism does not only occur near major sights. Leisure and tourism practices of visitors and residents alike are shifting towards inner city residential neighbourhoods, a phenomenon discussed as new urban tourism. At the same time, Airbnb has appeared on the urban stage and has enabled visitors to stay in such urban areas for longer periods of time. This article takes this discourse as its departure point; however, it broadens the perspective to include the supply side, which up to now has been little considered. Through the digital peer-to-peer distribution platform, urban residents become Airbnb hosts and promote their private living environment on the internet. Using the example of Berlin, the article aims to identify the different backgrounds and motives that drive Airbnb hosts to rent out their own private spaces. The results of 25 qualitative, partially structured interviews illustrate that tourism leitmotifs are mentioned rather superficially. In light of the societal context, Airbnb has transformed into a contemporary instrument to support these hosts in meeting their diverse needs in a highly flexible society.