Sourcing
Our research employs a comprehensive array of materials and sources, encompassing scholarly articles, reports, data sets, and multimedia elements, to thoroughly investigate the impact of Airbnb on the socioeconomic status and housing accessibility in Lahaina and Honolulu (PUC) during 2022-2023. Through a multifaceted approach, we draw on scholarly insights, as demonstrated by Agrusa’s comparative study on government actions and community responses to short-term vacation rentals in established tourist destinations such as Honolulu (“The Airbnb Effect: How Tourist Destinations Are Addressing Short-Term Vacation Rentals,” 2020). This study not only scrutinizes regulatory responses but also delves into the broader consequences affecting communities in these cities. To enhance our analysis, we integrate data sets and charts created with Tableau, offering dynamic visual representations of discernible trends and patterns in Airbnb activity. Employing text analysis through Voyant tools enables us to extract valuable insights from diverse textual sources. Our presentation is further fortified by an Airbnb timeline utilizing TimelineJS, providing a chronological narrative of pivotal events shaping Airbnb’s presence. Augmenting our narrative, images sourced from the internet add a visual layer to our exploration and engagement. In addition to global perspectives, localized insights from studies like Park and Agrusa’s examination of short-term rental impacts on Hawaiian natives enhance our understanding (2020). In examining the critical aspect of housing accessibility, our research integrates insights from studies like Wyman et al.’s exploration of short-term tourist rental impacts on residential property pricing (2022). This study sheds light on broader implications for housing affordability, providing a foundational understanding of the economic dynamics influenced by Airbnb in Lahaina and Honolulu. Additionally, Jordan and Moore’s work significantly contributes to our nuanced understanding by offering crucial localized insights into residents’ perceptions (2018). By delving into these studies, we aim to construct a comprehensive narrative that not only explores the macro-level implications but also captures the intricacies of Airbnb’s influence on the housing landscape in these Hawaiian communities.This comprehensive and rigorously researched approach aims to provide nuanced insights, combining scholarly rigor, data-driven analysis, and multimedia elements to enrich the depth and breadth of our research findings.
Overall, the selection of our sources provides a well-rounded foundation for our research topics. Beyond exploring the nuances of specific tourist destinations, we have delved into broader issues concerning Airbnb as a company and the challenges emanating from its business model. This holistic approach allows for a nuanced analysis that extends beyond the immediate context of Lahaina and Honolulu, creating connections between various perspectives and reinforcing the robustness of our research.
Processing
The data processing for our dataset did not require too many steps as the data sets provided by Inside Airbnb are relatively clean and organized upon download. Additionally, Inside Airbnb provides a data dictionary which defines the variables and allows us to understand what each variable represents if there was any confusion.
We began by first downloading the original datasets from Inside Airbnb, specifically the reviews.csv.gz and listings.csv.gz files, which were then unpacked to reveal reviews.csv and listings.csv files. Employing the RStudio environment and leveraging libraries such as dplyr, our initial processing started by and identifying missing data. The data sets, for the most part, did not have many variables with large amounts of missing data. In the reviews.csv file, 54 observations were missing values in the comments variable. As the data set had over one million observations, we decided to remove these instances due to their negligible impact on the overall dataset. In the listings.csv file, variables afflicted by a substantial number of missing values were removed because there was little analysis that could be done with these variables. Finally, extraneous variables, including but not limited to listing_url and host_has_profile_pic, were also removed from the dataset, ensuring a streamlined and more focused dataset for subsequent analysis.
The subsequent phase of our data processing journey centered around data manipulation and integration to align the data sets with our research objectives. In particular, our group wanted to analyze trends and relationships of tourism, short term rentals, and local communities in Hawai`i. With some research, we were able to establish that two popular neighborhoods for tourists were Lahaina and the Primary Urban Center. Thus, we found which observations from the listings data set were located in Lahaina and the Primary Urban Center by using dpylr and checked the nieghbourhood_cleansed variable in the data set, which extracted the city of each listing from the neighborhood variable.
We also were interested in possibly looking at the comments variable of the review.csv file and thought it would be helpful to have a data set which combined the reviews.csv and the listings.csv data sets. Thus, we used the left_join function from the dplyr library, which combines two datasets based on a common column or variable, and allows us to merge the two data sets. This integration resulted in a new dataset where each observation represented an individual review and encapsulated all pertinent listing information.
Transitioning to Tableau for further analysis, we meticulously fine-tuned the dataset. Noteworthy adjustments included correcting data type misclassifications, such as reassigning Longitude and Latitude variables from Measures to Dimensions, essential for accurate mapping visualizations in Tableau. This comprehensive data processing approach, characterized by thorough analysis, strategic cleaning, and deliberate integration, laid the groundwork for a refined dataset, setting the stage for nuanced exploration and visualization of the intricacies within the Airbnb data.
Presentation
For our project, we meticulously crafted our presentation layer using WordPress, coupled with domain hosting from the user-friendly platform HumSpace, facilitated through the University of California, Los Angeles. Navigating the dynamic process of designing our website, we initially envisioned mirroring the Airbnb aesthetic but adeptly pivoted towards a more professional, clean, and straightforward design to cater effectively to our audience. Threading consistency throughout, from font choices to page structures, we ensured a seamless and user-friendly experience. Our top menu, supplemented by a thoughtful drop-down option, maintains simplicity, while a dedicated navigational guide enhances user accessibility. To enhance clarity and user engagement in our visualizations, we applied principles such as limiting information to the most relevant data, ensuring clear titles, axis labels, and legends, and maintaining a consistent and meaningful color palette. The visual elements follow a consistent format for fonts, text sizes, and styling, providing a cohesive visual identity. We employed the storytelling approach by combining multiple visualizations into the dashboard, allowing for a comprehensive and cohesive narrative. The logical flow of our visualizations guides the audience seamlessly through the story we aimed to convey. In consideration of accessibility, we incorporated features such as alt text for images, maintained a color palette accessible to individuals with color vision deficiencies, and tested the visualizations on various devices to ensure a consistent and inclusive experience. We also implemented a proper heading structure and descriptive links, providing a more navigable and comprehensible experience for individuals using assistive technologies. This presentation approach, attuned to both aesthetics and functionality while prioritizing simplicity, clarity, and accessibility, encapsulates our commitment to delivering a compelling and easily digestible narrative for a diverse audience.
