Qualitative analysis explores how hosts shape tourist experiences through shared identities in Airbnb Experiences.
Purpose This study aims to advance extant gaze theories by examining the case of “Airbnb Experiences” and proposing the host-led joint gaze to illustrate how actors within new urban tourism use sharing economy platforms to obtain authentic local experiences. Design/methodology/approach Interviews with 20 “Airbnb Experiences” hosts, field studies, and a review of related materials were conducted. Interview transcripts, field notes, hosts’ program descriptions, and guest reviews on “Airbnb Experiences” were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings The tourists’ desired gazes were fulfilled by the hosts’ projected identities, which reinforced tourists’ expectations of their anticipated experiences. These projected identities highlighted the hosts’ dual positioning as local and cosmopolitan, and the experiences they curated reflected the gaze shaped by these identities. The hosts selectively emphasized their projected identities to accommodate the guests’ presumed perceptions of them as local, expert, experienced and knowledgeable about the guests’ expectations. Ultimately, the guests’ gazes were realized through the host-led joint gaze, which manifested the hosts’ projected identities. Originality/value This study extends gaze theory by demonstrating how gazes are uniquely constructed through host–guest interactions in new urban tourism. It advances understanding of hosts’ strategies on sharing economy platforms, offering insights that can help practitioners engage local residents and collaborate with such platforms to develop tourism experiences.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Kim et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: