Spatial distribution of Airbnb and its influencing factors: A case study of Suzhou, China

The homestay model represented by Airbnb has developed rapidly in China over the last several years. By taking the city of Suzhou in China as a case study, this paper analyzes the distribution characteristics and impact factors of Airbnb in a typical historical and cultural tourism city and discusses the uniqueness of Suzhou. This paper identifies the explanatory variables of the spatial distribution of Airbnb through literature review and the analysis of local characteristics of Suzhou. The spatial Durbin model in the spatial econometric model was chosen to analyze the influencing factors of the spatial distribution of Airbnb in Suzhou. The results showed that the factors influencing the distribution of Airbnb in Suzhou include traditional folk dwellings, restaurants, shopping malls, and tourist attractions and also reveal the differences between the old city and the new city in influencing the spatial distribution of Airbnb. The study found that historical and cultural resources and local characteristics are the most important factors influencing the distribution of Airbnb in historic cities. Airbnb's rapid rise in urban historical districts may challenge the government by causing negative impacts on historic preservation, and the results of the study can help improve the management of B&B in cities.