Review of Scientific Literature on Airbnb: Past, Present and Future

Airbnb has undergone an evolution that, over the years since its inception, has increasingly captured the attention of the research community. This interest is due to the varied and significant impacts that Airbnb has had on the accommodation sector, encompassing everything from enhanced accessibility to concerns about housing affordability. The present study analyses the general trend of Airbnb, the leading short-term rental platform. An exhaustive analysis of 385 articles that include the keywords "Airbnb" and "rental” and are indexed in the Web of Science (WoS), is conducted. This analysis identifies the most influential themes, examines the most cited articles, and highlights the predominant authors and the most prolific institutions, in addition to exploring the geographical connections between them. This article provides a 360-degree comprehensive view of the literature on the platform, offering a unique study that covers the most recent period and analyses the areas related to all publications indexed in WoS. The study is proposed as a tool and guide for academics, facilitating the identification of future development paths in this dynamic field.