Airbnb: Homestay ban will affect economy, livelihoods

Reports by GERARD GIMINO, RAGANANTHINI VETHASALAM, LO TERN CHERN, VENESA DEVI and STEPHANIE LEE

PETALING JAYA: The banning of short-term rental accommodation in high-rise residential buildings will put a damper on the recovery of the tourism industry, says Airbnb.

When contacted, the online lodging marketplace said the recent announcement by the Penang government would affect the state’s tourism recovery and growth along with the livelihood of its operators.

“We strongly urge the state government to reconsider its current proposal and look to existing mechanisms under the Strata Management Act instead.

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“The government should also let individual joint management bodies and management corporations decide whether to enact additional by-laws or restrictions to empower its residents,” it said.

Airbnb added that there has been no formal consultation process with the public nor industry stakeholders in Penang to date.

It also cited its survey where 80% of Penang residents said people should be allowed to use vacant apartments as short-term rentals in order to combat the property overhang.

Sixty percent also said short-term rental accommodation increases tourism revenue for their communities, it added.

Airbnb host Eng Joe Ann, 26, said the imposition of any further taxes or regulations would be unfair to operators and would increase costs.

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“Given that guests are always searching for a bargain, the additional costs can be a deterrent which ultimately puts consumers on the losing end, especially when travelling on a budget,” she said.

Eng added Airbnb also offered an option for guests who wanted a more homely atmosphere.

“Apart from a large variety of unique accommodation choices, most operators allow cooking and cleaning, which can be convenient.

“It is also more cost-friendly for larger groups compared with booking multiple hotel rooms to accommodate everyone,” she said.

Airbnb host Brandon Goh, however, said if regulations are imposed, they should be fair.

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“For example, only those with a business licence, solid financial background and clean slate can operate them as opposed to letting anyone open a short-term rental.

“This would in turn increase the quality of operators and minimise complaints from neighbouring units,” he said.

Goh, who operates 20 Airbnb properties around Kuala Lumpur and Johor and is also a property and training company vice-president, said regulation would allow both the authorities and Airbnb to come together and perform quality checks on those planning to open short-term rentals.

In JOHOR BARU, operators said any plan to regulate short-term rental homes or homestays should be done gradually and only after conducting a thorough study on its implication.

Roshidayah Abdul Rahman, 38, who rents out her single-storey house in a gated-and-guarded area in Skudai for short-term stays, said that any sudden move to ban homestays would be bad for the local tourism industry.

“Banning such activity would bring more harm than good, especially now as people are finally able to go for holidays in Malaysia. It is definitely not a wise step to take.

“I do not mind if the state government wants to regulate it, but it has to be done slowly and carefully. We need to have time to cope with changes that may come about following such a move,” she added.

Another homestay owner, Jason Tan, 32, who rents out his house in a residential area in Ulu Tiram, echoed her view, saying such establishments provide visitors with more options.

“People have different preferences when it comes to their travelling and accommodation needs. Some may prefer staying at hotels while others prefer renting out a whole house.

“Banning short-term rentals is an extreme move that would limit people’s choices. On the other hand, regulating it may be seen as a less extreme option, but it depends on what would be included in the guidelines,” he said.