How words shape neighborhood appeal: analyzing Naples through Airbnb

Abstract Since 2008, Airbnb has grown exponentially, changing the way tourism is practiced in multiple ways. However, its impact extends beyond disintermediating tourism or hospitality modes, creating significant spatial and socio-economic changes in major tourist cities. Airbnb has also become a powerful placemaking tool, changing the connotation of many neighborhoods that have rapidly undergone processes of touristification. Moreover, the platform has been instrumental in shaping change, standardizing living spaces, and constructing ad hoc narratives defined by the styles it promotes. Considering the city of Naples (Italy), the aim of this work is to understand how the city is described by the owners of Airbnb units, in order to identify distortions or mutations that mask the perception of the city. Some dimensions that emerged concern neighborhood safety, points of interest, and mobility. Special attention is given to the differences between central and suburban neighborhoods. The data was collected through Inside Airbnb as of March 13, 2025. The proposed analysis involves integrating GIS with text-based analysis techniques to spatially map hosts’ descriptions and uncover patterns of misrepresentation or standardization imposed by the platform. The analysis revealed Airbnb’s ability to construct concrete narratives based on the characteristics of individual neighborhoods. Moreover, a dominant narrative emerged outside the historic city center, emphasizing the authenticity and experiential quality of these areas, discourses that potentially aim to attract tourists and may trigger processes of touristification beyond the city center.