Sustainable Procurement and Local Embeddedness in Tourism Accommodations: A Comparative Bibliometric Review of Hotels and Airbnb Apartments

Abstract

Purpose: This paper addresses a research gap in the accommodation sector by comparatively analysing the literature on hotels and Airbnb apartments through the perspective of economic leakage and local embeddedness. While tourism generates economic benefits, the heterogeneity of accommodation models, specifically the difference between independent providers and global chains remains limited regarding their local supply chain impacts. Methodology: A systematic-narrative literature review covering the period of 2000-2025 was conducted, complemented by a bibliometric co-occurrence analysis using VOSviewer. Such an approach examines how procurement practices and regulatory frameworks shape sustainability outcomes across different ownership models. Findings: The analysis reveals that smaller accommodations, such as independent hotels and locally managed Airbnb listings, can potentially exhibit higher local embeddedness and generate less economic leakage than multinational chains or absentee-host rentals. Furthermore, results indicate that unified regulations are often ineffective, instead, differentiated frameworks, such as tax incentives for hotel local sourcing and simplified licensing for resident Airbnb hosts can be more fruitful in terms of optimising sustainability. Implications: Contextualised by a case study of 2025 rental restrictions in Hungary, the study proposes a conceptual framework for procurement-driven sustainability. The findings offer practical value for urban planners and policymakers and demonstrate how targeted procurement policies can mitigate over-tourism effects and maximize the local economic retention of tourism revenue.