Conclusions and implications
This study explored the customer experience with P2P accommodations based on in-depth interviews with Airbnb customers. Seven themes emerged from interviews with 34 research participants who had used an Airbnb in the past six months: physical utility, sensorial experience, core service, guest-host relationship, sense of security, social interaction, and local touch. Most of the dimensions identified in this study are supported by previous literature. Compared with commercial hotel settings, the core aspects of the customer experience in terms of P2P accommodations emphasize the social and relational experience beyond routine customer-staff relations. Most consumers also desire direct interaction with the host, the local people, and other guests, which confirms the social appeal of the sharing economy (Guttentag, 2015; Tussyadiah and Pesonen, 2018). Rather than standard rooms in branded chain hotels, tourists—especially the millennial generation—now prefer to stay in unique accommodations with distinct architecture, interior design, and a homelike atmosphere. Living with the local people in the local community affords tourists more opportunities to experience authentic culture and customs, which was highly valued by most interviewees. As found in previous research, guests in P2P accommodations appreciate staying in authentic (i.e., non-tourist) areas (Guttentag, 2015; Tussyadiah and and Pesonen, 2016).
