The Impacts of the Peer-to-Peer Platform on the Traditional Lodging Industry: Emerging Trends and Implications for Greater Los Angeles (U.S.A) and Barcelona (Spain)

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of trends in peer-to-peer lodging and their impacts on the lodging industry of the metropolitan regions of Greater Los Angeles, California, USA, and Barcelona, Spain. The main research question is whether the emerging peer-to-peer lodging platforms, part of the exploding sharing economy, are competitive or complementary to the traditional lodging industry. Data was obtained from secondary sources and collected in 24 field interviews. The study found variations in the complementarity/competitiveness balance, depending on the market segment in the hospitality industry and regulatory environment. The paper draws recommendations for hotel competitiveness and policy implications.