Motivations and constraints of Airbnb consumers: Findings from a mixed-methods approach

• Published in: Tourism management (1982) Vol. 67; pp. 224 - 236
• Main Authors: So, Kevin Kam Fung, Oh, Haemoon, Min, Somang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2018
• Subjects: Airbnb; Constraints; Hotel; Motivations; Sharing economy; Tourism; Tourism; Constraints; Airbnb; Motivations; Hotel; Sharing economy
• ISSN: 0261-5177; 1879-3193
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2018.01.009

Airbnb is widely recognized as a disruptive innovation in the tourism industry. While separate studies have examined various factors affecting consumers' adoption of Airbnb, the literature has largely focused on a handful of factors in isolation. Adopting a sequential mixed-methods approach, this study proposes a comprehensive conceptual model integrating the literature and findings of a qualitative study and subsequently tests the model via a national survey. The results suggest that, for motivations, price value, enjoyment, and home benefits significantly explain overall attitude toward Airbnb. As for constraints, distrust is the only factor that significantly predicts overall attitude, while insecurity is directly related to behavioral intentions. Overall attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms, such as social influence and trend affinity, predict behavioral intentions. This study contributes to the literature by simultaneously examining the predictive power of both motivations and constraints of Airbnb consumers in explaining overall attitude and purchase behavior. •We investigate a comprehensive set of motivations and constraints of Airbnb consumers through a mixed-methods design.•Reconciling the literature and our qualitative findings, we propose and test a conceptual model in a national survey.•Motivations including price value, enjoyment, and home benefits significantly explain overall attitude toward Airbnb.•Distrust is the only constraint factor that predicts overall attitude.•Insecurity and subjective norms such as social influence and trend affinity predict behavioral intentions.