Mobilize Airbnb support in times of humanitarian crisis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Tourism has widely been discussed as a powerful means to provide positive support for those in crisis. Yet, to date, how social media can be utilized for mobilizing tourism support in times of crisis, particularly during the war is largely unknown. Underpinned by the ‘social movement’ success framework, this present research employed a social media analytics approach to investigate how online communities are mobilized through social media in supporting Airbnb’s initiatives towards Ukraine. This research demonstrates that users can reclaim their agency in times of crisis through tourism by creating and distributing creative solutions through a social learning mechanism. This study made a significant and timely contribution to solidarity tourism, challenging the largely simplistic view of tourism as an indulgent experience for those with money and that the physical act of travel and its systems and infrastructure can be used for positive life-affirming outcomes.