Curacao Inks Tourism Pact With Airbnb

PHOTO: As in other municipalities, Airbnb listings are growing in Curacao. (Photo by Brian Major).

Curacao today became the third tourism-intensive Caribbean destination to forge an agreement with home-stay provider Airbnb. Like other recent agreements the sharing economy firm has signed with Caribbean governments, the pact will “create a framework” to address issues including taxes, accommodation standards and regulations, according to a Curacao Chronicle report.

Airbnb will also “share aggregate data and support Curacao’s tourism marketing campaigns,” under terms of the agreement, announced Wednesday by Eugene Rhuggenaath, the country’s minister of economic development and Kenneth Gijsbertha, minister of finance.

“Collaboration is vital determinant of success and competitiveness for both individual tourism entities and destinations alike,” said Rhuggenaath. “Through our collaborative efforts, we can achieve more effective and efficient tourism development and a greater degree of environmental and social-cultural sustainability. Therefore, I am very pleased with the agreement signed today with Airbnb.”

“Curacao is an important and growing market for Airbnb and we are very excited to be working with the government to help grow sustainable tourism to the island,” said Shawn Sullivan, Airbnb’s director of public policy for Central America and the Caribbean.

There are 1,000 Airbnb listings across Curacao and a typical host earns $4,400 per year, said Sullivan. “Today’s agreement brings new opportunities to grow Curacao’s economy and to spawn new jobs with the sharing economy,” he added.

As with municipalities across the globe, home-stay providers highlighted by Airbnb have expanded rapidly across the Caribbean. Data from the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) indicates 24 Caribbean destinations offer Airbnb listings, with the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Sint Maarten the U.S. Virgin Islands all reporting more than 1,000 listings.

Another five islands (Anguilla, Aruba, the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) all offer more than 500 listings. “It’s pervasive throughout the entire industry,” said Frank Comito, CHTA’s CEO and director general, who said home-sharing providers accommodated 30 percent of Aruba’s overnight visitors in 2016.

Both Aruba and Jamaica last year reached agreements with Airbnb similar to the pact announced Wednesday by Curacao officials. Hoteliers contend Airbnb’s proliferation in the Caribbean and significantly impacted their business in 2016, as regional resort profitability declined in the first half of the year despite generally higher occupancy.

 “The Caribbean is an important and growing market for Airbnb,” said Sullivan. “We see significant growth potential in key markets including Barbados, Aruba, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.” 

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