The Disruptive Effect of Technological Innovation in the Tourist Accommodation Industry

Abstract

This work focuses on the disruptive effect generated by online tourist accommodation platforms. This technological innovation has brought about changes not only in the tourism industry, but also in the lives of the citizens of host communities. This research analyzes the perception that citizens economically dependent on tourism have the socio-economic impacts linked to the activity of these online platforms. The field work was carried out in Spain in April 2020 by means of a survey in which citizens residing in one of the main tourist cities in the country took part. This analysis has allowed for the construction of four categories of positive impacts and four categories of negative impacts, all linked to disruptive technological innovation in the tourism sector. The most salient impact is related to how citizens economically dependent on tourism assess the changes taking place in the existing business network. This group’s assessment might possibly be the consequence of a shift in the focus of local businesses, which have gone from resident-oriented businesses to tourist-oriented businesses. The most salient impact is related to how citizens economically dependent on tourism assess the changes taking place in the existing business network.