[Dissertation defence] 13/09/2024 - Patrick EVENO: "The concept of a second home in a tourist area put to the test by the collaborative economy". (UMR ESPACE-DEV)

Patrick EVENO will submit his thesis on 13 September 2024 on the subject of "The concept of a second home in a tourist area under the test of the collaborative economy".

Laboratory

UMR_D 228 ESPACE-DEV - Space for Development

Composition of the jury

Mr Philippe BACHIMON	Avignon University	Thesis supervisor
Ms Magali TALANDIER	Grenoble Alpes University	Rapporteur
Ms Christine PETR	South Brittany University	Rapporteur
Mr Jean-Michel CHAPUIS	University of Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne	Thesis co-director
Ms Maria GRAVARI-BARBAS	University of Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne	Examiner
Jean-Michel DECROLY	Free University of Brussels	Examiner
Mr Pierre DERIOZ	Avignon University	Examiner

Summary

Second homes have been part of the residential landscape for a long time; the idea of owning holiday accommodation dates back to ancient times. In France today, more than 10 % of homes are registered as second homes. With changes in lifestyles in the 20ᵉ century, particularly the rural exodus, this phenomenon was reinforced after the Second World War and the advent of paid holidays. The term "secondary" was used in France to classify properties according to the length of time they were occupied and, above all, to distinguish them for tax purposes, whether they were owned by individuals or companies. In Anglo-Saxon countries, this hierarchisation is less marked; the term "second home" has less of a hierarchical connotation. Since the end of the 20ᵉ century, our society has undergone profound changes thanks to advances in digitalisation. Work and computer communication now make it possible to adapt the workplace to suit our possibilities, needs and desires. Like the telephone, work is no longer necessarily tied to a fixed location. The Covid-19 crisis has largely democratised teleworking, increasing it for those who were already doing it and making it accessible to many more workers. Second homes have become places where people can work, allowing them to spend more time there. In fact, some jobs that used to require a strict separation between the office and home can now be done remotely, thanks to the Internet. This increases the amount of time spent in a different, often non-urban setting, where the main destination is still the holiday home. Less and less a second home, the 'so-called' second home is increasingly being used as a main residence or in a hybrid way. Dual residences are gradually becoming a feature of two properties, particularly for retired people or working empty nesters whose children have left home. Although many French people dream of owning a second home, and some acquired one during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, not everyone does. Those who do not own a second home have often got into the habit, since the middle of the 20ᵉ century, of spending their leisure time or holidays with family members, friends, or by renting someone else's (second) home. This practice of renting, which initially took place through family or local acquaintances, developed with the organisation of offers. Initially through specialist and non-specialist publications and magazines, and then from the beginning of the 21ᵉ century thanks to digital platforms, this phenomenon gave rise to what we know today as the "Airbnb phenomenon". This highly commercial Californian company has become a leader focusing the attention of internet users, landlords renting and not renting, as well as public authorities. While the generations more or less accustomed to digital technology represent what marketing calls demand, the accommodation offered by landlords is not yet universally regarded as a commercial offering. Rental periods vary considerably from one region to another and from one property to another, making it difficult to generalise at this stage.

Keywords second homes, holiday rentals, the collaborative economy