Who is the host? Online identity construction on Airbnb

Abstract

[eng] Online identity is a dynamic, multi-faceted and socially constructed concept that. On a peer-to-peer sharing accommodation platform such as Airbnb, markers and forms of identity conveyed on self-descriptions made by hosts only provide a partial impression of the individual’s identity. Peers contribute to the construction of online identity validating, denying or complementing this concept on their reviews after face-to-face or direct communication with hosts. However, no previous study has approached the concept of identity on Airbnb considering both sources of information: self-descriptions and peer reviews. The main objective of this research was to explore how host online identity was constructed on Airbnb. For this purpose, 1,590 self-descriptions of hosts in Mallorca, Spain and 41,499 corresponding peer reviews were subjected to a qualitative thematic analysis with the aid of NVivo 11 software. Four global themes were identified: The social person, the outstanding service provider, the active individual and the multi-cultural self. These themes illustrate defining personal and social characteristics communicated about Airbnb host and shed light on the interactivity of identity on P2P platforms.