The availability of smoking-permitted accommodations from Airbnb in 12 Canadian cities

Abstract

PurposeAirbnb is a web-based peer-to-peer (P2P) service that enables potential hosts and guests to broker accommodations in private homes as an alternative to traditional hotels. The hospitality sector has increasingly gone smoke-free over the last decade. This study identified the availability and cost of smoking-permitted accommodations identified on Airbnb.MethodsThe study team searched for Airbnb accommodations in 12 Canadian cities across each of Canada’s 10 provinces. Searches included availability for a single person for a private room, or double occupancy for an entire home/apartment; searches were for 1-night and 1-week stays.ResultsCities across Canada, including Regina, Fredericton and Charlottetown, had no smoking-permitted accommodations available for the searches conducted. The proportion of private rooms available for one night that permitted smoking ranged from 2% in Calgary, 4% in Winnipeg and St. John’s, 10% in Halifax and Victoria, 18% in Toronto, 45% in Vancouver and 69% in Montréal. The average cost for a private room for one night in Vancouver was $128, while the cost for a private room that permits smoking was $62; however, in other markets prices were more similar.DiscussionAcross Canada, there is a wide range of smoking-permitted accommodations available through Airbnb. In some markets, smoking-permitted accommodation may be significantly less expensive than smoke-free options. As hotel chains increasingly go smoke-free, it is possible that the marketplace will respond with offerings to fulfil consumer demand. As policy makers consider how to regulate P2P services like Airbnb, public health considerations should be included.

A proposal to regulate the peer‐to‐peer market for tourist accommodation

“…Conversely, comparing the requirements expected from conventional accommodation to those from accommodation in the p2p market has also stimulated the demand for regulation. Here, a broad range of issues opens, such as the possibility that Airbnb facilitates discriminatory behavior toward certain social groups (Edelman, Luca, & Svirsky, 2017), the noncompliance with public health and safety standards (Gurran, 2018), or smoking permits (Kennedy, Douglas, Stehouwer, & Dawson, 2018).…”

Determinación de los precios de los apartamentos turísticos AIRBNB en Málaga. Una aproximación espacial

“…De hecho, la variable Fumar_sí no es significativa. Se está desarrollando un movimiento en Airbnb en torno a la consecución de una tarifa más cara por parte de los anfitriones por permitir fumar en el alojamiento (Kennedy, Douglas, Stehouwer, & Dawson, 2018) pero por otro lado Wang & Nicolau (2016) catalogan en su estudio a nivel intercontinental que la permisión para fumadores estaba asociada a rangos de precios bajos. La segunda variable (Mascotas_sí) presenta una influencia negativa sobre el precio.…”

“…Al igual que pasaba en la categoría anterior, incluiremos a las mismas como variables ficticias dónde se le asignará valor 1 si está permitido y 0 en el caso contrario. La primera de esas variables es la permisión de fumar (Fumar_sí), que dada la creciente implicación por parte de plataformas de alojamiento a la política "libre de humos" (Kennedy, Douglas, Stehouwer, & Dawson, 2018) puede existir una penalización en el precio. Además, se ha considerado una segunda variable que recoge el consentimiento de la entrada de mascotas (Mascotas_sí) la cual a priori se cree que puede tener influencia sobre el precio de alquiler.…”

The Peer-to-Peer market for tourist accommodation in Latin America. Supply, Demand and Prices

“…The attempt to make the accommodation attractive by offering an additional service could be understood as a strategy by hosts to maximize their profit. As for the "smoking allowed" option, Kennedy et al (2018) which, using Canada as a reference, evidenced that Airbnb accommodation that allows smoking can be significantly less expensive than smoke-free options in certain markets. To explain this relationship, one could think that, perhaps, the host tries to compensate the lesser quality ofhis/her accommodation by offering this amenity, which makes it more attractive to smoking guests.…”