A motivation-based study to explain accommodation choice of senior tourists: Hotel or Airbnb

Senior tourists, traditionally known for using offline methods and staying in hotels, are increasingly using new technologies and opting for alternative accommodation forms. Based on the push and pull theory of motivation, the generational cohort and lifespan development theories, this study fills a gap in the literature and examines senior tourists’ choice between Airbnb and hotels. A random parameter binomial logit applied to data from six European countries finds that the same motivation can act differently in this decision choice process. Rather than assuming that a motivation has an exclusive effect on each accommodation type, we propose the notion of a “differential fulfillment paradigm” to reflect the idea that two accommodation types can relate to the same motivation with different approaches. While both hotels and Airbnb can fulfill a common motivation, they do so through distinct features or attributes, offering consumers diverse avenues to achieve their desired outcome. • Motivations are not unidirectional. • Differential fulfillment paradigm characterizes seniors’ motivations. • Senior motivations for choosing accommodation qualify the general literature. • Senior motivations for self-esteem and knowledge seeking favor hotels. • Senior motivations for ego enhancement and relaxation are more inclined to Airbnb.