The role of short-term accommodations on the place brand and real estate development of urban areas: A case study of Malate, Manila

Abstract

Aim: This study investigates the role of short-term accommodations on the place brand and real estate development of Philippine urban areas. It aims to know the perceptions of various stakeholders on how these lodgings affect a community's place brand and land value through mixed methods research composed of surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. Methodology: This research utilized qualitative techniques. Interviews were conducted with employees and officials of said developers and with identified government offices related to this research. Findings: The survey results showed that although a local tourism circular regards short-term accommodations as mere traveler lodgings, most people use them for their intimate moments. Because of this, findings also revealed that short-term accommodations exhibit a negative place brand among respondents though they also believe that it's still one of society's most important economic players. Meanwhile, statistics from the Pearson Chi-square Test indicate that 14 out of 17 variables greatly influence respondents' perceptions. In contrast, MLR results show that being born in Malate and part of a family household was the most significant regardless of socio-economic level and monthly household income. For local official interviews, they said that their zoning ordinance presently regards short-term accommodations just like any other lodging enterprise. Hence, it's perfectly legal for these establishments to situate themselves near residential areas and/or institutional structures despite being presently associated with various sexual activities. Lastly, real estate developers said they have no bad views against these lodgings since their project sites have always been motivated only by suitability, zonability, and marketability factors. Implications/Novel Contribution: Overall, these findings merit a recalibration of the zoning ordinance and tourism circular and imposition of regulations on their sexually-suggestive roadside advertisements. Then, once relevant measures are refined for proper implementation, it can also pave the way for spatial interventions (like visual buffer corridors) to better address the needs of the locals, private groups, and government.