Dwelling Under the Platform: The Sustainability Paradox and Governance Approaches of Short-Term Rentals
Document Type
Review
Publication Date
1-1-2026
Abstract
As a prominent form of the platform economy, short-term rentals have reshaped global tourism and urban space, making their sustainability impacts a core concern for scholars and policymakers. Using PRISMA 2020, we systematically screened 3495 records from Web of Science and Scopus, identifying 100 high-quality core studies for thematic analysis. We develop an original analytical framework of the “digital sustainability paradox” to unpack the intertwined positive and negative effects of short-term rentals across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The findings suggest that sustainability in this sector is less a technical or market issue than a governance challenge, whose trajectory depends on power relations and institutional arrangements among platforms, governments, communities, and users. We propose an adaptive governance framework that transcends “one-size-fits-all” regulation, advocating context-sensitive, multi-level, and participatory policy design to balance innovation, justice, and resilience.
Publication Title
Sustainable Development
ISSN
09680802
DOI
10.1002/sd.70696
Recommended Citation
Ziming, Li; Jie, Yang; and Furong, He, "Dwelling Under the Platform: The Sustainability Paradox and Governance Approaches of Short-Term Rentals" (2026). Research Publications (2026 to 2030). 267.
https://knova.um.edu.my/research_publications_2026_2030/267