Airbnb to help Filipino hosts meet gov’t tax obligations

Airbnb, the world’s leading online marketplace for tourist accommodation booking platform, said it will help Filipino hosts meet their income tax obligations with the government.

This developed as government implements policies and measures that require establishments to register and to ensure the safety and tourism of tourism establishments and travelers during the pandemic.

“We continue to work with Filipino Hosts on Airbnb to help them understand and meet their income tax obligations,” Airbnb said in a statement.

Airbnb said they are committed to working with the Philippine government to promote tax laws that align with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) recommendations for taxes on the digital economy.

“Airbnb supports the work of the OECD to reform the global tax system and believes a fair and modern tax system is good for all stakeholders,” the statement added.

A recent Airbnb survey conducted for its Filipino community revealed 57 percent of Airbnb Hosts said the income they’ve earned through hosting has helped them to stay in their homes, and over half want to find more ways to host with Airbnb.

It added that while the shortterm rental industry is a fairly new phenomenon in the Philippines, it is already playing a key role in helping to create a more diverse and resilient tourism sector, while also fostering entrepreneurship and supporting jobs across the nation.

Importantly, Hosts on Airbnb are committed to helping to accelerate the recovery of the broader tourism industry when travel returns.

Over a third of Filipino Airbnb Hosts share recommendations with guests on their favorite local restaurants and businesses within their community. It quoted a research from Oxford Economics which estimated that in 2019, Airbnb guests visiting Manila spent an estimated $257 million and directly supported almost 16,000 jobs.

Airbnb supports the government’s initiatives to boost the national economy during this challenging time, in particular by driving the recovery of tourism through empowering the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that makeup 99 percent of the local economy. Hosting is an economic lifeline for thousands of Filipinos on our platform.

Likewise, Airbnb said it respects the policies and measures put in place by the Philippine government and the Department of Tourism (DOT) to help ensure the safety of tourism establishments and travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We support the DOT’s efforts on the accreditation of tourism establishments, and have been working closely with the DOT to encourage and equip Hosts to apply for relevant accreditation online via the DOT's Online Accreditation System,” Airbnb said.