AirBnB offers travellers a means of securing short term or long term temporary living arrangements with rental companies, and this has caused concern among residents and certain businesses in hospitality who feel AirBnB should be regulated.
This comes as AirBnBa�?s popularity and availability make it a tempting option, both for travellers looking for easy alternatives, and home owners making their properties and rooms available.
However, AirBnB was not always taxed the same as other business in the hospitality industry. This causes concern for other businesses who argued the taxes that were paid that ordinarily would go back into the industry itself, and that AirBnB is not being held to the same standard.
The other aspect is more subtle, with residents opposed to the potential disturbances caused by having new neighbours every other week, and the potential threat of homes that would otherwise go to local families being taken and used exclusively to house travellers seeking temporary arrangements.
These fears, and concerns prompted an ordinance which would see a fair regulated approach to vacation rentals. Ultimately to ensure that groups like AirBnBa�?s involvement in the tourism and hospitality industry was fair to all parties concerned.
What vacation rentals offer still is a level of flexibility and affordability that makes them such a strong competitor against the usual hotel businesses that rely on tourists and vacationers staying with them. And even with the regulations in place that may make it slightly harder to rent out properties, the convenience that is afforded both the renters and the vacationers still makes it a viable option.
Even though the concerns of those who fear the potential disturbances this would cause to locals seem reasonable, the reality is not always likely to be as severe. With regulations not only meant to ensure that vacation rentals pay their dues fairly and in-line with the rest of the industry, but also ensure that the local area as a whole is able to benefit financially from the business that short-term rentals can bring.
With that in mind, the regulation would ideally cover all concerns brought forward and ensuring that while the community does benefit and all renters are taxed fairly and equally that renters and the vacationers that stay with them are mindful of their neighbours and remain fair and considerate in that instance.
Whatever the position of all concerned parties, either supportive of services that enable groups like AirBnB to facilitate alternative lodgings for vacationers the overall benefits do seem to outweigh the potential issues it represents to some, provided, fair regulations are put in place to ensure that everyone operates with the same understanding and is subject to the same rules that govern all within the industry.
The number of short-term rentals is fairly moderate and does afford prospective visitors with a chance to visit and experience destinations at an affordable price and with great convenience and flexibility. To that end it would seem that with the opportunities a service like this represents, it would be ideal to have it remain available to many and still retain a sense of stability in the local area.