From capitalism to cooperativism. Towards an alternative model of co-owned platform for sustainable tourism.

Over the last decade, we have gradually become aware of the implications generated by the spreading of digital platforms (e.g., Gillespie 2010, 2018; Zuboff 2019). Notably, a substantial body of literature has been devoted to the analysis of the relationship between platforms and labor, thereby shedding light on the features of the contemporary market model, commonly referred to as “Platform Capitalism” (Srnicek 2016). In the field of tourism as well, extensive research has been conducted concerning the critical analysis of the extractive model employed by capitalist platforms and the significant impacts it has engendered (e.g., van Dijck et al. 2018). A prominent case study scrutinized in this context is Airbnb, with an emphasis on the consequences of its business model on hosts. The latter, although not officially recognized as platform workers, are indeed subjected to continuous pressures emanating from the algorithmic logic behind the platform, in relation to social reproduction activities, care work, and online self-management (Saturnino and Sousa, 2019; Bruni and Esposito, 2019, Parisi 2022), described as forms of “invisible work” (Starr and Strauss 1999). Additionally, much has been said about the repercussions on the tourism sector and local economies due to the short-term rental model (Lee 2016), including processes of “gentrification” and widespread price inflation within the industry (García-Ayllon 2018), as well as the “airbnbfication” (Parisi 2018) and overtourism (e.g., Goodwin 2017) phenomena. In recent years, the growing awareness of the adverse effects of platforms has spurred a critical approach within the realm of “Platform Studies” (Bogost and Montfort 2007). Such a perspective has progressively questioned the characteristics of conventional platforms, thereby inspiring the development of potential alternatives to their accumulative model. This, in turn, has led to the identification of a theoretical-operational model within the current digital ecosystem, known as “Platform Cooperativism” (Scholz, 2016). This concept stems from a critique of the prevailing extractive mechanisms in the corporate sharing economy, advocating for an organizational model of digital platforms based on solidarity, shared ownership and democratic governance (Bauwens and Kostakis, 2014; Scholz and Schneider 2017). Among the numerous global instances of platform cooperatives, this contribution places particular focus on the analysis of an Italian project, Fairbnb, since the foundation of such platform co-op is rooted at the intersection of the two major issues highlighted in the literature on Airbnb—the exercise of invisible work forms and the promotion of overtourism practices to the detriment of local areas and communities. For both these issues, Fairbnb offers a promising alternative to the traditional short-term rental model. The project indeed, presents a more equitable alternative to conventional home-sharing platforms: grounded in the principles of collective ownership, democratic governance, local sustainability, transparency and accountability, Fairbnb promotes a non-extractive structure that fosters sustainable tourism experiences (Foramitti et al. 2020; Petruzzi et al. 2021). In light of these aspects, the research objective of this contribution is to analyze the tools enabled by Fairbnb to counteract the dynamics of invisible work and the pressures faced by Airbnb hosts while simultaneously facilitating tourism that enhances the value of local communities and places, thus presenting itself as a sustainable alternative against gentrification and overtourism phenomena. In this regard, the research questions underpinning this contribution are as follows: How does the cooperative model proposed by Fairbnb translate for platform hosts? What solutions does it offer to promote sustainable tourism practices that are also supportive for the communities? The methodological approach employed entailed a comprehensive analysis of the key operating mechanisms of Fairbnb. Through a review of the available literature, the direct use of the platform, and the administration of semi-structured interviews with its co-founders, we gained insight into the structural characteristics of Fairbnb, encompassing its business model, interface and socio-technical infrastructure design, ownership relations, terms and conditions and the algorithmic logic behind it. The aim was to understand the alternative tools the cooperative platform offered in comparison to its direct competitor, Airbnb, and the implications of such tools on both hosts and the forms of tourism promoted. The results of the research indicate that Fairbnb represents what has been defined “a transition within a transition” (Foramitti 2020)—i. e. the instance of an emerging niche of platform co-ops within the sharing economy—since it can be described as an alternative to the way big tech industry operates. Indeed, the project's organizational framework, centred on solidarity, shared ownership and democratic governance, takes into account the needs of hosts, who are an integral part of the platform's decision-making processes. Moreover, Fairbnb constitutes a real “cultural shift” (Foramitti 2020), based on people rather than profit, and helps to promote awareness of social and tourism practices based on sharing and sustainability (Petruzzi et al., 2021), as well as on the enhancement of local communities and places.