Home is Where Vacation Is: Second-Home Ownership in Tourism Communities

Keywords: tourism, second home ownership, recreation
Abstract Type: Lightning Paper Abstract

Abstract

According to the US Census Bureau, rates of seasonally vacant housing have increased since the start of the COVID pandemic. The average rate of seasonally vacant homes relative to the total of all vacant homes was 4.5% higher during the ten quarters following spring 2020 than the ten quarters immediately preceding it. Second-home ownership is often clustered in existing tourism communities and this growth can have significant impacts on the economic and social structures in these destinations. This presentation investigates potential changes to seasonal home ownership patterns in several tourism destinations. Data quality and complications present in comparing property records will be discussed.