Peer-to-Peer accommodation in rural areas of Catalonia: defining typologies of rural municipalities

Abstract

This paper presents findings relating to the territorial processes underlying the distribution and location of P2P accommodation in rural parts of Catalonia by establishing a system for classifying rural municipalities based on the volume and growth rate of the supply of this tourist accommodation, its share of the total supply of tourist accommodation, the pressure on the local population, and the function of this supply of accommodation in the regional tourism context. According to the findings, there are three distinct types of rural municipality: (a) Rural municipalities where the volume and growth of the supply of this accommodation are striking, these municipalities are located in the coastal hinterland and in high mountain areas, both of which enjoy high levels of tourism. This supply of accommodation plays a key role in the expansion of the areas of influence of well-established tourist destinations, (b) rural municipalities where this supply of accommodation presents an average volume and growth rate, located in inland areas of Catalonia and in high mountain regions with non-mass tourism development models specializing in rural tourism. This supply is helping boost tourism by expanding and diversifying the range of accommodation, and (c) rural municipalities where no tourist accommodation was available before the arrival of P2P accommodation. These are municipalities in inland areas with a strong agricultural presence, where P2P accommodation is paving the way for tourism.