AirBnB is an American company which operates an online marketplace and hospitality service for people to lease or rent short-term lodging including holiday cottages, apartments, home stays, hostel beds, or hotel rooms.  It also offers tours and activities in the place of lodging.   AirBnB does not own any real estate or conduct tours; it is a broker which receives percentage service fees in conjunction with every booking. Like all hospitality services, AirBnB is an example of collaborative consumption and sharing.  Where the company has over 4 million lodging listings in 65,000 cities and 191 countries, and has facilitated over 260 million check-ins.

 BYATA’S POSITION STATEMENT 

BYATA members welcome AirBnB as an accommodation choice for consumers; however, our members are of the view that compliance requirements should be the same for all accommodation providers to ensure a level commercial playing field where safety is paramount for all visitors to New Zealand regardless of where they stay.

The underpinning rationale for accommodation provider compliance is informed by the need to provide consumers with safe and accessible facilities. Currently AirBnB operators do not require consent to operate a commercial accommodation business in a residential environment, nor are they required to comply with fire regulations or provide accessible facilities. This presents obvious safety risks. AirBnB operators should comply with the same regulations applicable to other commercial accommodation providers and thus be required to display a valid Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF) at all times.

BYATA members would prefer that New Zealand adopt a consistent national position in relation to AirBnB, but acknowledge that the responsibility for regulating accommodation providers currently lies with Local Authorities. We welcome the recent proposal developed by the Queenstown Lakes District Council as an effort to address these issues, and urge Councils elsewhere in New Zealand to consider their response to this issue.

CASE STUDIES  

 AirBnB stye rentals will be legal in Japan 

AirBnB cancels bookings in Japan under new law 

For any queries please contact info@byata.org.nz