Airbnb must be safe for both homeowners, tourists

AIRBNB originally referred to sleeping on an air mattress but these days it can mean the shortterm letting of an extra bedroom in one’s home or the whole apartment or house.

“Home owners cashing in on Airbnb” ( The Star, March 17) is good news for our tourism industry. Malaysia is ranked ninth in the world for tourist arrivals. The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 ranked Malaysia 25th out of 141 countries overall, which was the fifth best in Asia. Hence, the Airbnb option would play a useful part in our tourism business.

Meeting the need for good accommodation ranks highly in the satisfaction level of tourists. Hence, it is important that the local authorities have some say to regulate and license or register these Airbnb set-ups.

Illegal, uninsured, uninspected and unregulated set-ups will have a negative impact on this growing sector especially as tourists are increasingly using this option besides the traditional hotels.

While Airbnb should not be stifled by red tape, some supervision or regulation is necessary and good for both the property owners and renters.

As hotels are regulated, so should Airbnb. For property own- ers, they must be able to offer legitimate and recognised accommodation. Neighbours must be aware of this and know they can complain to councils when breaches, including overcrowding, noise, parking and rubbish, occur. On their part, renters must know they have some recourse to complaints and the place must be legal and safe.

Thus, local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that regulations are respected for the safety and well-being of visitors as well as the owners and their neighbours. Unregulated Airbnb will have a negative impact on an otherwise welcomed source of income for the homeowner and visitors who want flexible and affordable accommodation.