News

Arlington, VA – The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech), the trade association for the online travel industry, including short-term rental innovators Airbnb, HomeAway and VRBO, released the following statement after the New York City Council voted to pass a bill that would force short-term rental (STR) platforms to turn over the names, addresses, and banking information of its hosts and owners to city government.

“Not only does this bill ignore the transforming travel economy and the important economic role short-term rentals have played in allowing many New York City residents to continue to reside in one of the most expensive cities in the world, but it is an assault on data privacy on platforms that have prioritized protecting users since their creation,” said Travel Tech’s Vice President of Short-Term Rental Policy, Matt Kiessling. “While the hotel industry’s efforts to distort local policymakers’ perception of alternative accommodations in order to protect hotels’ bottom lines has been well documented, the City Council’s action yesterday marks a shift towards overtly embracing hotelier interests over those of everyday New Yorkers.”

Mr. Kiessling is available for further comment regarding the fallout from said decision at request.

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