An investigation into the sharing economy phenomenon in the Greek tourism industry in the accommodation sector

Abstract

A phenomenon that has spread as rapidly as the sharing economy, bypassing traditional distribution channels and disrupting established business models, has naturally provoked considerable controversy. Users, providers, sharing economy sites, established businesses offering similar services to those being shared (or traded, exchanged, rented, swapped or otherwise) and governments at all levels (municipality, province, nation state, regional, and even international), have found themselves on different sides of a furious debate about the present and future shape of the sharing economy. This article explores the drivers and impacts of sharing economy in the Greek hospitality industry, presents the legal framework and discusses the challenging and at times controversial nature of it.