Social innovation as a tool to create a more sustainable tourism: The example of the platform socialbnb

Abstract

This case study is about an innovative tourism booking platform, socialbnb, founded by students at the Cologne University in 2018. It describes a new accommodation platform that connects social and ecological NGOs with potential customers, especially youth travelers. The focus of the study lays on the development of the platform from the initial idea to the pilot phase to become a start-up. In general terms, the platform helps NGOs to earn an additional income by renting out accommodation on their premises to tourists. At the same time, it helps travelers to have an authentic experience. The case study can therefore be described as an example of a more inclusive business model that incorporates sustainability. Overall, the case study gives the background information of the entrepreneurs (from the beginning of the idea to the current status), the business opportunity that they saw in the trend towards more sustainable travel behavior, and how they put their idea into practice. It also details the benefits of such an approach.