This article from The Guardian, headlined “Airbnb bookings dry up in New York as new short-stay rules are introduced”, discusses the impact of new regulations on short-term rentals in New York City.

Under these new rules, Airbnb hosts must register with the city and be physically present in the home during the rental period. Rentals shorter than 30 days are only allowed under these conditions. In addition, no more than two guests are allowed at any one time, effectively banning families and groups from such rentals.

The regulations aim to curb the practice of apartments being used as de facto hotels, which has been driving up demand for housing in already scarce neighbourhoods.

Notable Fact: As per data from Inside Airbnb, a housing advocacy group, there are currently over 40,000 Airbnb listings in New York. However at the time of publication, the city has received a mere 3,800 applications, of which just under 300 have been approved.

 

Airbnb has been fighting these rules in court for over a year, arguing that they essentially act as a ban and limit affordable accommodation options for visitors.

For us at Book Better Direct, this development underlines the importance of promoting direct accommodation bookings. It highlights the need for a more transparent and fair system that benefits both guests and hosts, something we are very passionate about.