This week’s Update for the week ending August, 18, 2017 is below. Short-term rental regulation is featured prominently in this week’s Update.
Hyatt and Expedia Come to Terms [OTA]
("Hyatt and Expedia Formally Sign New Deal," Skift Travel News, August 18, 2017)
Congratulations to both sides for resolving their differences and renewing their relationship.
Metasearch Prominence Grows [METASEARCH]
("The direct booking movement is moving to meta – what hoteliers need to know," Tnooz News Feed, August 8, 2017)
Direct booking champion, Triptease, released a helpful “how to” guide last week detailing how hoteliers seeking to drive direct bookings can take better advantage of the many available metasearch channels. According to Triptease, metasearch has become hoteliers’ number one advertising channel (above Google). Consumers are also turning increasingly to these channels as consumer traffic has tripled since 2014. Our own experience lends further credence to the growth in metasearch as the number of metasearch deals we have done in recent months has far exceeded the number of OTA and other forms of distribution deals.
Rent Regulation Laws Used to Thwart Short-Term Rentals [SHORT-TERM RENTALS]
("The Owner Strikes Back: Rent-Regulation Laws Get Used in the Brawl With Airbnb," Commercial Observer, August 16, 2017)
You can now add rent regulation rules to the list of tools employed by opponents of short-term rentals. Tenants seeking to profit off short-term rentals of their rent controlled apartments in NYC are now facing a rash of claims brought by landlords alleging violations of applicable rent-stabilization laws. Subletting has always been an issue with rent-controlled apartments, but the creation of Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms has made illegal subletting much easier to perpetuate. Tenants on the losing side of successful subletting claims might find themselves being evicted from their treasured rent-controlled apartments.
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Other news:
Las Vegas launches short-term rental complaint hotline
Las Vegas Review Journal - Business, August 15, 2017
The city launched a 24-hour hotline Tuesday so residents can report noise, trash, parking issues and other nuisances from short-term rental properties in their neighborhoods.
How to regulate Airbnb rentals? Kansas City wrangles complexities
Kansas City Star - Politics, August 13, 2017
City Hall and Airbnb hosts don’t see eye to eye on short-term rental regulations. Now the Kansas City Plan Commission must mediate.
As more apartments convert to AirBNB, St. Paul considers short-term rental rules
St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 12, 2017
On Friday, the St. Paul Planning Commission voted 11-2 to support a series of regulations that would add some form and function to the city's highly unregulated short-term rental market.
PrincipalGreg is Chair of the firm's national Hospitality, Travel & Tourism practice, which is directed at the variety of matters faced by hospitality and travel industry members, including purchase and sales agreements, management ...
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About the Editor
Greg Duff founded and chairs Foster Garvey’s national Hospitality, Travel & Tourism group. His practice largely focuses on operations-oriented matters faced by hospitality industry members, including sales and marketing, distribution and e-commerce, procurement and technology. Greg also serves as counsel and legal advisor to many of the hospitality industry’s associations and trade groups, including AH&LA, HFTP and HSMAI.
