GEORGE TOWN: Airbnb hosts have objected to the Penang government's draft short-term rental accommodation (STRA) guidelines, saying it will make it harder for them to earn a living.
Airbnb raised concerns about proposals for local residential councils and joint management bodies (JMBs) to cap STRA to three nights a week and 180 nights a year; and to prevent STRA in commercial strata buildings, unless 75 per cent of owners agree to it.
Airbnb said there should be no limits on a traveller's stay, as they would hamper Penang's tourism growth and make it harder for travellers to explore the region.
Airbnb also wanted STRA to be allowed in commercial titled strata buildings.
As a starting position, STRA should continue to be allowed and JMBs and property owners could introduce relevant by-laws for STRA activity in the building as they deemed necessary.
Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan Airbnb public policy head Mich Goh said with destinations across the region competing for tourist dollars, it was vital that Penang's ability to capture a slice of the market, growing the local economy and creating jobs were not hamstrung.
She said these draft suggestions would also make it harder for locals to earn a living during a time of rising costs.
"State-level guidance for STRA should boost, and not stifle, Penang's tourism economy by ensuring the continued availability and variety of travel accommodation.
"We strongly believe STRA can and should be regulated in a fair and balanced manner for the benefit of all stakeholders, including hosts, who want to share their homes responsibly, guests who look for unique and family-friendly accommodation at different price points, and local neighbourhood businesses and services who benefit from our Hosts and guests," she said.
Goh said Airbnb would work closely with the Penang government to formulate the guidelines but called for more stakeholders to be consulted.
"The housing exco has shared plans to organise a broader consultation with all relevant online travel platforms and we look forward to the discussion," she added.
A Penang Airbnb host, known only as Aruchunan, 47, said he had put in a lot of effort to learn new skills, including marketing and housekeeping, when he started hosting in a commercial strata building in Bukit Gambir.
"Most of my guests are locals who prefer using STRA and love staying in my property when they are travelling with family.
"After I was retrenched from my job due to the company relocating overseas, I invested a lot of my savings in this commercial titled property with the developer's agreement that we are allowed to conduct STRA.
"I'm the sole breadwinner for my family and I can't imagine what will happen to us if we are forced to stop hosting," he added.
Airbnb user Khatini Andrea Venugopal, 32, said Airbnb had been her choice whenever she travelled with family or alone.
"It makes me feel immediately at home as we can stay together and have our meals together under one roof.
"This is especially important when my loved ones come to visit Penang.
"Any restrictions on STRA would not be ideal as it will impact how we travel," she said.
Last Thursday, state Local Government and Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said guidelines to regulate STRA in stratified and landed properties would be implemented in the state in January next year.
He had said the guidelines were being finalised before being presented to the state executive council (exco).
"The guidelines for stratified properties is more than 90 per cent ready. However, we also want to incorporate guidelines for landed properties so that both of them can be ready together.
"Before the guideline is presented to the state exco, we need to get feedback from stakeholders, which we are doing now. It will take between two and three months for the exercise to complete.
"If all goes well, we hope to implement the guideline by Jan 1. If it can be done earlier, it will even be better," he was quoted as saying.
There are 2,511 stratified properties in the state, involving 326,464 units.
Homestay activities are not allowed in low cost, low-medium cost and affordable housing schemes.