News

New Orleans Short-term Rental Proposal is Untenable Policy, Will Reduce Tourism Spending and Tax Revenue

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 on January 10, 2019 ahead of the New Orleans' City Council's consideration of a proposal to ban short-term rentals in the city.

"Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer’s proposal is an unnecessary short-term rental ban masquerading as a policy solution. After extensive study of New Orleans’ policy landscape and the development of short-term rental policy around the country, Travel Tech is disappointed to see a proposal that blatantly disregards New Orleans residents who benefit from this activity and constructs an untenable policy framework for local residents looking to participate in the sharing economy," said Matt Kiessling, Travel Tech's Vice President of Short-term Rental Policy. 

"Worse still, Travel Tech believes such a proposal would ultimately drive a significant portion of the city's short-term rental activity underground, hampering accountability and reducing tourism spending and tax revenue. The city and its residents have much to gain from getting short-term rental regulations right, and that starts with rejecting this proposed ordinance, which clearly represents the policy desires of a small vocal minority."

The City Council is set to vote on Councilwoman Gisleson Palmer's motion this week.

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The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) is the voice of the travel technology industry, advocating for public policy that promotes transparency and competition in the marketplace to encourage innovation and preserve consumer choice. We represent the leading innovators in travel technology, including global distribution systems, online travel agencies and metasearch companies, and short-term rental platforms.