News / Tourism
Bristol hotels call for action against Airbnb
The head of Bristol Hoteliers Association is calling for action against short-term let companies that he says are hitting trade.
Imran Ali argues the growth of sites such as Airbnb is having a significant impact on the city’s smaller, independent hotels and bed and breakfasts, with some forced out of the market altogether.
He has presented a four-point plan to mayor Marvin Rees in a bid to “level the playing field” – this includes requiring a licence to operate in certain wards, restricting letting to 170 days a year, and ensuring all operators are health and safety compliant.
Imran Ali says smaller hotels are being forced out due to loss of trade
But Airbnb has hit back at the claims, arguing they “reveal a hotel lobby focused on eroding the rights of Bristolian families to protect its profits and tourism monopoly”.
The company says it helps diversify the industry and spread tourism benefits beyond hotel districts to local families and communities. It also claims guests spent more than £295m in the South West region last year alone.
Ali, who is also the general manager at Radisson Blu, says the Hoteliers Association – which represents 34 hotels in the city – welcomes competition, but with 2,000 properties now registered on the short-term lettings platform, needs to operate in a fair market.
“If nothing is done, hotels and B&Bs will start a long journey towards diminished trading and eventually, closing down,” warns Ali.
“Legitimate businesses pay business rates and VAT – short-term letting hosts do not. Listing hosts are not regulated and do not have to undergo the rigorous safety checks Bristol’s hoteliers are required to do.”
He is calling on Rees to implement the four-point plan, which also states there should be mandatory listing of all short-term letting sites and the introduction of a ‘host’s city levy’ for all registered hosts, based on the model drawn up in Bristol’s twin city of Porto.
Airbnb says it helps diversify the market (Photo taken inside an apartment at Paintworks)
Responding to the comments, an Airbnb spokesperson said: “These spurious claims are utterly false. Yet again they reveal a hotel lobby focused on eroding the rights of Bristolian families to protect its profits and tourism monopoly.
“There is a big difference between occasionally sharing your spare room and running a hotel, and home sharing is already subject to tax and clear rules.
“Unlike corporate hotel chains, home sharing also put £64m in the pockets of families in the South West and boosted the local economy by £359m. It is an economic lifeline for many local families and we firmly believe that everyone should benefit from tourism in their communities – not just hotels.”
The company is facing this battle in many places around the UK, with accommodation businesses that have to adhere to stricter regulations saying they cannot compete.
Airbnb says the rules are not the same for all hosts listed on the website, but proportionate to the level of hosting required.
It would also look to support a tourist tax if one was introduced in Bristol, something the Hoteliers Association has spoken out against.
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