The effects of the professionalization of hosting on service quality: Towards quality standards and certifications within the short-term rental market

• Published in: International journal of hospitality management Vol. 122; p. 103796
• Main Authors: Miguel, Cristina, Braje, Ivana Načinović, Drotarova, Maria Hadjielia, Dumančić, Kosjenka, Kirkulak-Uludag, Berna, Giglio, Carlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2024
• Subjects: Airbnb; Booking.com; Certification; Professionalization; Quality standards; Sharing economy; Short-term rentals; Booking.com; Quality standards; Sharing economy; Short-term rentals; Airbnb; Professionalization; Certification
• ISSN: 0278-4319
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103796

This paper explores how the increasing professionalization of the short-term rental market (previously dominated by individual hosts) fosters the implementation of formal quality standards in the sector. It is based on 36 in-depth interviews conducted with different stakeholders of the short-term rental industry in six European countries, namely, Croatia, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the UK, and at EU level. The article maps different initiatives that outline some quality standards for short-term rentals. We found first, that to implement quality standardisation, it is important to distinguish between private and professional hosts; and, second, that consensus must be reached on: (1) whether quality would be standardised at national or EU level; (2) which governing body should be responsible for quality certifications (e.g., governments or private institutions as in the case of ISO standards); and (3) identification of practices that should be certified (e.g., property facilities/amenities, size, health & safety protection, etc.). •Initiatives to provide quality standards for short-term rentals emerged in Europe.•Transition from self-regulation towards quality accreditations of short-term rentals.•The professionalisation of the short-term rental market fosters quality standards.•Distinction between private and professional hosts needed to assure quality.