Poll: More Airbnb-style Hosts in the EU Want Clearer Rules

Photo source: Airbnb

More and more owners sharing their properties for short-term accommodation in the EU are calling for clearer and simpler rules, found a survey released this week by Airbnb.

More specifically, more than two-thirds (67.4 percent) of EU hosts welcome the EU’s proposal to address fragmented short-term rental rules with a harmonized Union-wide approach. Only 11.7 percent said they were not in favor of such actions.

Earlier this month, the EU agreed on a harmonized approach to data collection and sharing for short-term accommodation rental activity in efforts to ensure a fair playing ground for hospitality providers.

Many claim they have been excluded from the benefits of hosting due to “fragmented” and “disproportionate” local rules, which were designed with large scale tourism operators in mind.

Photo source: Airbnb

According to the poll:

– there are over 1 million hosts on Airbnb in the EU, more than in any other region in the world

– nearly three-quarters of the 1 million share just one home

– a typical host earned just over 3,000 euros in 2021, equivalent to two months additional pay for the median EU household

– more than 40 percent said that the additional income helps them afford rising living costs

– only 32.9 percent said they were optimistic that the EU proposal will improve their lives and make it easier for them to share their homes to boost their income

– 47.0 percent of EU hosts said they would like to see the EU defend the Single Market and act against authorities that have introduced disproportionate local rules for hosts

– 29.1 percent said they want to see a process established allowing hosts to connect with the European Commission about the impact of local rules on hosting activity.

“This survey shows overwhelming support for a more clear, simple and EU-wide approach to regulating short-term rentals. However, many EU citizens remain to be convinced on whether the EU will secure a regulation that improves their lives and makes it easier for everyday hosts to share their homes,” said Georgina Browes, head of EU Policy Airbnb.

Photo source: Airbnb

“We continue to encourage the EU to listen to the experiences of everyday hosts and focus its discussions on disproportionate local rules that undermine the single market and prevent many everyday Europeans from sharing their homes to boost their income,” Browes said.

Among others, Airbnb has called on the EU to introduce simpler rules while welcoming an EU-level framework to share hosting data. It also encourages a more active role for the Commission. Additionally, it points to instances of disproportionate local regulations that go beyond registration systems and have not been addressed in the Commission proposal.