Motivational factors for the use of the sharing economy in tourism. HomeExchange business model

Identifier:  TFM:1438

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM1438

Authors:  Castillo Molina, María Victoria

Abstract:
Given the growth in the trend of new ways of traveling and the need to explore unconventional alternatives, about which little is still known, this Final Master's Project look into the motivating factors that drive consumers to use shared economies, focusing on the analysis of user reviews of the HomeExchange platform. A mixed analysis of the data was carried out, integrating quantitative and qualitative methodologies, both assisted by the Nvivo software. The results demonstrate the importance that HomeExchange users attach to the social dimension, highlighting elements such as family, communication and the bond with the hosts. In turn, there is a recurring practice of exchanging gifts, strengthening ties within the community. These findings contrast with previous research on Airbnb, where the economic dimension is a predominant motivating factor. In turn, this work reinforces the influence that other people's opinions currently have on user decision-making, especially in the new digital age. This study contributes 6 to the understanding of the motivational factors in sharing economy platforms and sheds light on the effective design of strategies to improve consumer satisfaction by acting on the aspects most indicated by users.