PETALING JAYA: Airbnb has expressed its commitment to work with the government to develop fair and balanced regulations for the short-term stay platform.
Airbnb Head of Public Policy for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan Mich Goh said the regulations should promote, rather than hinder Malaysia's long-term tourism growth and help the country achieve its Visit Malaysia Year 2026 targets.
"Airbnb has been working closely with PLANMalaysia and the Local Government Development Ministry since earlier this year to provide recommendations for the upcoming national guidelines for short-term rental accommodations (STRA).
"These include sharing best practices and regulations that have been successfully implemented in other countries," she told The Star in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 26).
Among them are introducing a federal-level simple online registration system for hosts and an exclusion register for errant hosts and guests who did not comply with a proposed industry-wide Code of Conduct, Goh said.
On Monday (Sept 25), the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry said it was the right time for STRA, especially Airbnb, to be legally registered and regulated.
In a statement, it said the ministry’s secretary-general and counterpart from the Local Government Development Ministry would also discuss solutions to ensure that industry players comply with the regulations and requirements.
Special zones for short-let accommodation such as Airbnb were also being considered as part of the government’s moves to regulate the business.
