SUMMARY
The Terram Institute has published an in-depth report entitled "Tourism 2.0: Anatomy of France's Airbnb". It analyzes through the exploitation of unpublished data the meteoric rise of rental platforms since 2012, which have established themselves as a central player in tourist accommodation. Airbnb's offering has spread to almost 81% of the country, with 28,289 communes hosting at least one Airbnb offering. The volume of overnight stays more than doubled between 2018 and 2024.
This expansion took place according to traditional attractiveness (coasts, metropolises) but also by supporting thelocal event economy during festivals and sporting events. Users, who are generally younger, better educated and more urban than average, prefer the platform for reasons ofbudgetary arbitrage and flexibility.
While the study confirms that strong Airbnb activity is correlated with the maintenance of local businesses in small towns, it also highlights the tensions that arise from it, notably the scarcity of permanent housing in tense areas. The major challenge now is to stabilize this hybrid model between innovation and regulation by reconciling the right to leave, residential balance and local economic vitality.
Keywords : Sharing economy, Tourist accommodation, Territorial impact, Seasonal rentals, Hotel market, Collaborative platforms, Digital tourism
