An overview of peer-to-peer accommodation operation during the COVID-19 pandemic: responses, strategies and opportunities

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had catastrophic impacts on many hospitality industries including the peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation industry. The fast spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in countries throughout the world left very limited time for crisis management planning, and exposed the vulnerability of the P2P accommodation sector. Stakeholders in the P2P accommodation industry had to take ad hoc actions and implement crisis management strategies to mitigate the impacts. This overview paper explores the responses and crisis management strategies that key stakeholders in the P2P accommodation industry adopted during the COVID-19 crisis. Experience obtained from the adjustment and adaptation of P2P accommodation operation practices were summarised. This paper provides lessons learnt and ways to move forward for the P2P accommodation industry in coping with disruptive events like the COVID-19 crisis. Future research directions are also highlighted.