Seasonality in the peer-to-peer market for tourist accommodation : the case of Majorca

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to verify the hypothesis that seasonality in the peer-to-peer (p2p) market for tourist accommodation is smaller than the existing in conventional markets, taking the case of the island of Majorca as a reference. This paper will also determine the role of professional hosts in the management of prices and in the marketing of accommodation according to seasonal demand variations. Design/methodology/approach: From the information obtained through web scrapings of Airbnb listings and from data provided by official statistics, comparable indicators of seasonality are developed. Likewise, econometric estimates are provided to detect differences regarding the determination of accommodation prices between professional and nonprofessional hosts. Findings: The p2p market is less subject to seasonality than the conventional one. In the particular case of Palma de Majorca, fluctuations in accommodation demand are even smaller than in the rest of the island's municipalities. Professional hosts apply marketing techniques related to price and product promotion and are sensitive to demand variations altering prices and responding to the economic stimuli in this way. At an academic level, these findings suggest, on the one hand, the relevance of considering the heterogeneity of the touristic market when constructing theoretical models. And, on the other hand, basic economic principles should be applied to explain agent behavior in the p2p market. Research limitations/implications: This work does not use a direct demand measurement. Instead, it approximates demand through the reviews left by guests in p2p markets. At least in the case of the island of Majorca, the touristic demand represents a reduced percentage of touristic demand in total. Practical implications: So far, both public and private strategies to combat seasonality have focused on increasing occupancy in conventional accommodation. Still, the fact that hotel demand and private accommodation demand are different has relevant implications for price management, touristic products, supply planning and the implementation of marketing campaigns. Also, advertising could be aimed at alleviating the undesirable effects of seasonality. Social implications: The evidence presented helps the design of public policy strategies aimed at mitigating the problem of seasonality in touristic demand to accommodate it to social preferences in each area. Originality/value: This is the first piece of research, as far as we are aware of, that addresses the phenomenon of demand seasonality in the p2p market for tourist accommodation. In addition, a comparison is made with the seasonal patterns that characterize the conventional hotel market. New ideas are provided for the design of a comprehensive touristic policy in which both markets are considered.