AERIAL PERSPECTIVES: AIRBNB'S IMPACT ON THE EMPOWERMENT OF PERIPHERAL REGIONS IN THE DOLOMITES

Abstract

The collaborative economy, driven by online platforms, is reshaping Europe's economic landscape. In an official document released in 2016, the European Commission estimated that collaborative platforms and service providers within the continent generated a total of 28 billion euros in gross revenues in 2015. This marked a significant doubling of revenues, particularly in key sectors like passenger transportation, family services, technical and professional services, and collaborative finance. Projections within the same document suggest that the collaborative economy has the potential to contribute an additional 160 to 572 billion euros to the European economy in the future. A 2016 Eurobarometer survey revealed that more than half of European citizens are aware of the collaborative economy, with one in six already participating as users. Over 5% of the EU population actively supplies products and services through these platforms. This phenomenon exemplifies the "sharing economy" model, as described by Botsman and Rogers in 2010, enabled by the network technologies of collaborative platforms. This model empowers individuals to share or exchange goods, services, and expertise on a scale previously thought impossible. Three key players participate in this economy: providers of goods and services, users of these offerings, and intermediaries who facilitate interactions through online platforms.

Furthermore, this dynamic economy accommodates both the transfer of ownership (as seen in cases like Craigslist, Poshmark, or eBay) and simple resource sharing (exemplified by platforms like Zipcar, Couchsurfing, and Airbnb). Notably, many individuals who offer goods and services on these platforms are private users engaged in peer-to-peer exchanges, often on a sporadic basis. However, distinguishing between peer services and professional activities can be challenging, and Member States have adopted varying criteria for this differentiation. Some Member States categorize services that earn compensation differently from those that simply cover costs, while others establish thresholds based on income generation and service regularity.

This study explores the transformative impact of the collaborative economy in Europe, shedding light on the remarkable growth and its implications for regulation and market dynamics. It underscores the evolving landscape of collaborative platforms and the challenges of defining professional activities within the context of this dynamic economic model.