Business as usual? The behavioural consistency of short-term rental platform hosts despite the challenges of the pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic that started in March 2020 had a significant impact on the freedom of movement of the global population, impacting the activity of short-term rental platforms (STRs). According to several studies (Romano 2021, Dagkouli-Kyriakoglou et al 2022), during the peak of the pandemic the number of listings dropped in many major markets. In Europe, Spain lost 59% of booking days in 2020, Italy 58%, France 33%, and Germany 39% (Dagkouli-Kyriakoglou et al 2022, p. 5). Even more pronounced was the decrease in the occupancy rate of urban listings (measured in terms of reviews) recorded at the main tourist destinations in Italy compared to 2019: Rome was down 70.07%, Milan 77.71%, Florence 77.55%, and Naples 63.92% (Romano 2021, p. 5). Nevertheless, while the impact of the pandemic on the geography of STR listings is evident, empirical evidence on the business strategies adopted by hosts to survive the crisis is scarce. The aim of this contribution is to present and discuss a detailed empirical analysis based on STR host data for the period November 2021¬April 2022. To reveal any changes induced by the pandemic in five Italian cities – Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples, and Turin – information from 411 respondents who participated in a direct online survey is presented. The author investigates in particular (i) actions taken during the pandemic (e.g., cancelation of listings, changes in business/organizational model, etc.); (ii) future “post pandemic” strategies (e.g., rent accommodation differently, sell the property, etc.) and (iii) the impact on hosts’ income.