Airbnb in Tasmania: scourge or saviour?

Barely a week goes by without the issue of Airbnb making the media in Tasmania. Initially lauded as the saviour for the under-supplied summer accommodation market in Hobart, it is now despised by many and blamed for causing housing shortages and social disruption. Yet despite this fierce debate, Airbnb is now Tasmania’s – and the world’s – largest accommodation provider. This chapter explores the growth of the Airbnb phenomenon in Tasmania and the impact it has had upon those who host via Airbnb and those within the traditional tourism industry.