I felt at home: Analysis of reviews of collaborative hosting experiences on the Airbnb website through the prism of trust

Abstract

The increase of virtual communities together with the recent popularization of collabo-rative hosting facilities in the tourism sector has enabled the consumption of non-traditional hospitality experiences that demand a high degree of travelers’ confidence. This article sought to understand how guest reviews help in transmitting trust to other on the Airbnb platform. Based on a qualitative research, a content analysis was un-dertaken into 210 guest reviews, published between 2018 and 2019, who traveled to Fortaleza/CE. The study innovates by focusing on the determinants of the credibility of an online review based on international literature (relevance, accuracy, complete-ness, and timeliness) for the selection of comments. Results revealed that, regarding the host, the main arguments used to promote trust were receptivity and solicitude. In relation to the space, location, comfort, and cleanliness stood out. Regarding the consequences of the experience, the propensity to return and recommendation were established. It was also observed a relationship of convergence of the arguments identified with the feeling of familiarity and being at home that many guests reported. Surprisingly, the trustworthy of space to ads and the security of the place – aspects associated with risk – did not emerge significantly in the speeches of travelers.

Keywords
Collaborative hosting; Trust; Social media; Online reviews; Airbnb