Exploring guest engagement with Airbnb: consumer benefits and psychological ownership perspective

This study aims to investigate antecedents of consumer engagement with Airbnb services from the perspective of consumer benefits. The research also examines the mediating role of psychological ownership between consumer benefits and consumer engagement, as well as the moderating role of value co-creation on the relationship between consumer benefits and psychological ownership. The data were collected by an online survey completed by 441 respondents from the United Kingdom and Türkiye. The research model was tested using structural equation modelling. The findings demonstrate that relational, economic, hedonic, and sustainability benefits positively effect psychological ownership while psychological ownership influences consumer engagement. Moreover, the study reveals that the effect of consumer benefits on psychological ownership is moderated by value co-creation. Furthermore, the results highlight notable cultural differences, with Turkish consumers exhibiting stronger psychological ownership and engagement, while UK consumers are primarily driven by economic benefits. These findings suggest that tailored strategies considering cultural factors can enhance consumer engagement in the sharing economy.