Caribbean sets trend for collaboration, tax collection with Airbnb

Airbnb agreements and tax deals are accelerating in vacation rental markets in the Caribbean, with over 10 collaboration agreements with governments in the region and lodging tax collection deals in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and, most recently, Quintana Roo.

As this movement picks up speed, more and more countries with tourism-intensive economies are choosing to embrace innovation and pave the way to diversify the sector and spread the benefits of democratized tourism revenue within their societies.

In the Caribbean and Yucatán Peninsula, Airbnb hosts have earned over US$266 million in the last twelve months, more than double the previous period. These destinations have attracted nearly 2 million guest arrivals between July 2016 and August 2017, up 170 percent from preceding twelve months.

“These agreements strengthen the region’s tourism industry, and we are proud to have streamlined the lodging tax collection process for our users in places like Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Mexico City, Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum”

By strengthening support for home sharing and allowing Airbnb to help users fulfill their local lodging tax obligations, these governments have set strong examples for other Latin American countries that are devoted to tourism development. A first in South America, Chile has partnered with Airbnb to assist in research travel trends through its National Productivity Commission.

Airbnb has also signaled a strong commitment to the region, with office openings in Mexico City and Buenos Aires as well as support for the government of Jamaica to host the UNWTO meeting there in November.

This comes on the heels of the ten Memorandums of Understandings Airbnb has reached with countries throughout the Caribbean in only nine months, including the governments of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Curacao, Grenada, Jamacia, Puerto Rico and the influential Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). These agreements have established a basis for mutual cooperation with governments, supporting sustainable tourism development and expanded economic opportunity for thousands of Airbnb hosts.

“These agreements strengthen the region’s tourism industry, and we are proud to have streamlined the lodging tax collection process for our users in places like Mexico City, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum,” explained Jordi Torres, regional director for Airbnb in Latin America. “And we look forward to rolling out new announcements with governments in the rest of the continent,” he added.

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