by Brian Major
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Mon July 11, 2016
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
Hoteliers are seeking to measure the impact of "sharing economy" accommodations on traditional hotels and resorts just as transportation providers eye the effect of ride-sharing companies on their operations. Results of a survey issued Monday by travel insurance provider Allianz Global Assistance USA indicate American travelers are more likely than ever to use such services.
More than twice as many American travelers will use sharing economy services this summer compared with 2015, according to Allianz' Travel Insurance Sharing Economy Index. "There was significant growth in use, familiarity and trust of the sharing economy over the last year," said Daniel Durazo, an Allianz spokesman, "showing these services are not a fad and have great potential for longevity."
Specifically, one in three Americans (36 percent) are likely to use services including AirBnB, HomeAway, Uber or Lyft during their summer vacation, up more than 50 percent from 2015, when Allianz' survey found 17 percent of Americans were likely to use sharing economy services.
Uber topped the list of sharing economy suppliers with which consumers are familiar. Sixty-two percent of Americans are familiar with the service according to the Allianz survey, up 27 percent over 2015. AirBnB was next, familiar to 35 percent of those surveyed, a 16 percent increase over 2015. Lyft was familiar to 34 percent of respondents and HomeAway was familiar to 18 percent of those surveyed.
While 26 percent of Americans believe sharing economy companies provide better value and 22 percent say they offer a "more authentic" local experience (up nine and 10 percent respectively versus 2015) most still prefer services including traditional and online travel agencies and direct hotel booking for a better overall travel reservation experience, quality product and customer support when things go wrong.
"The playing field is quite level with many Americans having an uncertainty about which services provide the better experience," Durazo said, "which opens an opportunity for the lesser-known sharing economy to take a bigger stake as awareness continues to increase."
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