Online marketplace and hospitality service, Airbnb allows people to lease or rent short-term lodging, such as vacation rentals, apartment rentals, homestays, hostel beds, and hotel rooms. After meeting several Caribbean government representatives in Barbados on Thursday, April 20th, Airbnb announced plans to expand tourism in the Caribbean, including Belize. On Tuesday, May 9th, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) hosted a conference with Airbnb representatives, where various stakeholders discussed the future of the overnight tourism sector, as well as guidelines that will help standardize the industry.
Although Airbnb does not own any of those properties, it serves as a commercial agent that receives a percentage of services fees from both guests and hosts. With more than four hundred hosts advertising properties within the country of Belize, the issue of market share has been brought to the forefront. While BTB aims to regulate the growing sector, Airbnb says this sector of the industry will be a positive one.
Leave A Comment