I conducted fieldwork in Lisbon (July 2021 - December 2021) and in Barcelona (January 2022 - April 2022). The main research method was in-depth interviews with stakeholders in the short-term rental industry in both cities. Specifically, I interviewed Airbnb property managers, Airbnb professional hosts, real estate consultants, landlords, service providers in the short-term rental sector such as tech companies that offer management systems, and officials from the city council of both cities. In total, I conducted 42 interviews. Additionally, I undertook participant observation and conducted informal interviews at three international short-term rental events organized by industry players. These events provided opportunities to collect data from public presentations and discussions. Furthermore, conducting informal interviews at these industry events allowed me to recruit participants for the in-depth interviews. In addition, I gathered and analyzed several industry reports, podcasts, and video interviews produced by short-term rentals consultancy companies. Analyzing these materials helped me gain a better understanding of investment strategies in the short-term rental sector and identify the most influential actors in this specific real estate market. Finally, I complemented the qualitative material with the spatial analysis of Airbnb listings in both cities. The database that I use was Inside Airbnb, which is open access.
The project has had impacts at academic, policy, and societal levels. I published 3 papers in top journals, and I am currently preparing 2 additional papers. I presented my research at 5 international conferences, and I was invited as keynote speakers in several meetings. In terms of policymaking, I provided advice to the Short-Term Rental Initiative of the DG Grow Unit of the European Commission. Furthermore, I received an invitation from the City Council of Lisbon to join the permanent commission that evaluates the local legislation of short-term rentals. In Barcelona, I had expert meetings with officials from the City Council, two of whom attended the final symposium of the project on the 2nd of June 2023. I also participated in outreach activities, including being interviewed in two documentaries, a radio program, and several newspaper reports. Additionally, the University of Leeds (beneficiary) invited me to present my experience as a successful Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship applicant. As a result, it was created an open access video on YouTube where I provide advice to future applicants on how to prepare their application.
The milestones achieved include the submission and approval of Ethics and Data Management deliverables, the development of a career plan for the researcher, the implementation of a social media strategy, the completion of field research in the two cities, the analysis of data and comparison between the two cities, the publication of 3 papers, the preparation of 2 draft journal publications, and the successful completion of a closing event on the 2nd of June 2023.
