Airbnb and Booking.com are the market leaders, but a new wave of smaller accommodation platforms are offering an alternative – and trying to give something back to local communities
Accounts of tenants illegally subletting rental properties by listing them on Airbnb and Booking.com, without the permission of their landlords, have hit the headlines in recent months. While there’s no denying that the convenience of these accommodation booking platforms has transformed holidays – making independent travel more accessible and affordable – that convenience often comes at a cost. In tourism hotspots like Barcelona, which banned short-term rentals in 2021 (and will ban all apartment rentals to tourists by late 2028), platforms such as Airbnb are being blamed for driving up rents and house prices for residents.
However, there are alternatives to these search engine and booking monoliths, with an increasing number of smaller websites offering hand-picked owner-run, independent B&Bs, home swaps, or rental properties that are primary homes (rather than fuelling a second home market). With a focus on passionate, local hosts who know their patch inside out, using these platforms can also take some of the pain out of researching a destination. Better for locals and better for your holiday; it’s often a win-win.
