Professional Association of Innkeepers

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) Position Statement on Short-Term Rental Legality, Fairness and Safety

The Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII), the leading trade association for owners and operators of bed and breakfasts and inns, believes in a vibrant travel and lodging marketplace, and recognizes the continuing influence of technology and the emergence of new third party travel agents. While properties such as Hotels, Inns, and Bed & Breakfasts have offered short-term rental lodging for hundreds of years, a new segment of ‘hosts’ who advertise lodging through online platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, and others has emerged.

PAII is concerned that guest safety and regulatory compliance is no longer being uniformly adhered to and enforced in the short‐term rental market. Short-term rentals providing accommodations for compensation 15 or more nights annually are subject to business taxation as per the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Therefore, it is appropriate that these businesses comply with the laws, regulations, and business practices applied to similar lodging properties such as Bed & Breakfasts and small Inns. PAII is committed to advocacy for equitable standards and regulation on behalf of all lodging accommodations offering short term rentals to the public.

Following the Law

Local laws and regulations that address the existence and allowance of short‐term rentals in residential properties (i.e. apartments, houses, condos, etc.) vary greatly from city to city in North America and beyond. PAII believes that all property owners, managers, and tenants involved in the rental of their property to the traveling public must abide by all local laws and agreed‐upon covenants and restrictions with regard to short‐term tenancy. If the laws are deemed overly restrictive, rather than circumventing the law, property owners, managers or tenants should seek to change the law. PAII encourages governmental authorities to allow reasonable alternative use of residential properties for the purpose of offering lodging to the traveling public.

Marketing Intermediaries

Websites, also known as online platforms or online travel agents (OTAs) which market short‐term rental lodging should take every possible reasonable measure to encourage compliance with local laws and regulations related to renting rooms, apartments or houses. At a minimum, these websites should make those seeking to rent short-term lodging (“hosts”) on their sites aware of the obligation to abide by all applicable local, state, and federal laws. We advise all short‐term rental platforms and intermediaries to give property owners or managers the ability to publicly acknowledge they are in full compliance with the law on their property listings, have been inspected by proper authorities, and carry appropriate commercial liability insurance. Travelers should have confidence they will be staying in safe, legal establishments, and marketing companies must help travelers choose such properties.

Taxation Compliance

Hotels, Inns, and B&Bs are required to collect occupancy taxes where required, sales taxes, and often both. These taxes support efforts to recruit additional commerce through tourism marketing, fund services such as fire and law enforcement, and fund maintenance or upgrades to the community infrastructure. Short‐term rental owners benefit financially from such services and therefore should contribute in the same manner as other similar lodging businesses do. The online intermediaries collect room revenue from travelers on behalf of the property owners or managers; the proper taxes must be collected and dispersed either by the online intermediary or the host.

Safety

Safety standards and requirements for properties offering lodging to the public far exceed those for private residences. The fire, health, and safety standards for ALL short term lodging rentals must be commensurate with those for legitimate B&Bs and small inns and should include working fire suppression equipment, egress management, and fire inspections. The onus is on the ‘host’ to follow the proper inspection and reporting protocols to authorities. In addition, property owners should secure ample liability insurance to protect themselves and their guests.

While the onus is on the host to become educated on the standards, regulations, and requirements, PAII is committed to assisting these hosts to join the community of legal, safe, and hospitable lodging accommodations.

Adopted by the PAII Board of Directors February 5, 2013

Reaffirmed by the PAII Board of Directors April 29, 2015 and January 12, 2017

Monday, November 7, 2016

Best of Why Stay At A B&B Articles

Reasons to Stay at a B&B
https://enlightenme.com/top-10-benefits-bed-and-breakfast/

Why stay at a B&B
http://www.authenticbandb.com/whystay.php

10 Reasons Why a Hotel Is Better Than Airbnb
http://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/10-Reasons-Why-a-Hotel-Is-Better-Than-Airbnb

10 Differences Between AirBnB and Lookout Point Lakeside Inn
http://lookoutpointinn.com/AirBnB-vs-bed-and-breakfasts

If You’ve Never Stayed At A Bed And Breakfast, Here’s What You’re Missing Out On
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/08/bed-and-breakfast-vacation_n_5072556.html

Why People Stay at B&Bs
http://hotelpropeller.com/stay-at-b-and-bs/

The 3 Biggest Myths About B&Bs That Just Aren’t True
http://www.littlehotelier.com/r/property-management/running-bed-breakfast/3-biggest-myths-bbs-just-arent-true

Top 10 Benefits to Staying in a Bed and Breakfast

https://enlightenme.com/top-10-benefits-bed-and-breakfast/

Is A Bed & Breakfast Stay Right for You?

http://petergreenberg.com/2008/03/26/is-a-bed-breakfast-stay-right-for-you/

Top 5 Reasons to Stay at a B&B

http://www.bedandbreakfastblogging.com/top-5-reasons-to-stay-at-bb/

Perks of Staying at a Bed and Breakfast

http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/hotel-impossible/video/perks-of-staying-at-a-bed-and-breakfast

10 Reasons to Stay at a B&B

http://www.ncbbi.org/blog/2013/03/10-reasons-to-stay-at-a-bb

What to Expect at a Bed and Breakfast

http://innonthedrive.com/what-to-expect-at-a-bed-and-breakfast/

5 REASONS TO STAY AT A BED AND BREAKFAST

http://www.dongaspar.com/innkeepers-blog/5-reasons-to-stay-at-a-bed-and-breakfast/

Top Ten Reasons to Stay at a Bed and Breakfast in San Antonio

http://www.innontheriverwalksa.com/top-ten-reasons-to-stay-at-a-bed-and-breakfast-in-san-antonio

Bed and Breakfasts: Top Reasons to Stay

https://www.romanticasheville.com/bedandbreakfast_why_stay.htm

Have you come across a great "Why Stay at a B&B Article?" Please send it to us and we will add it to the list! marketing @ paii.org

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Your guide: Short-term transient guest rental regulations from the Michigan Lake to Lake B&B Association

Reposted with Permission

Michigan Lake to Lake

B&B Association News

Quick-Breaking

News You Can Use

One Bite at a Time

Inn-Sider News Bite

April 26, 2016

Your guide:
Short-term transient guest rental regulations

In the flurry of animated chatter that punctuated the L2L Member Forum over the weekend, one comment struck like a fist. Discussing the negative impact of illegal short-term home sharing on our legitimate B&Bs, Innkeeper Sandy White noted she found 222 "Airbnb" listings for the greater South Haven area and over 300 for Traverse City.

How many of those do you suppose abide by the same laws and regulations you do? How many do you think are leeching your guests and pocketing your proceeds -- without paying a penny of tax on the transaction?

While many listings in this wildly-popular online directory are for legitimate, licensed lodging properties, simply judging by the number of room-night rentals mysteriously available in South Haven and Traverse City, many are not. These illegal transient guest rentals are compromising their neighborhoods and putting the safety and well being of consumers at risk. But even more, they are putting your livelihoods at risk, as this news story from the New Orleans Times-Picayuneso aptly describes.

Mike Venturini, treasurer of L2L's Board of Directors and innkeeper at Munro House B&B and Spa, went proactive in his small Southeast Michigan town. He was concerned not with competition, but with UNFAIR competition -- the uneven playing field created when one property gets the special land use permit, the licensing, the inspections and pays the taxes on their business income like a good citizen, and the property down the street does not. Because their expenses are less, they charge less. They undercut you. And that's the rub.

As a private citizen and business owner, Mike sat down with city leaders and discussed the potential for abuse in Jonesville. Weeks of seemingly endless discussion and patience resulted in about half of Mike's "22 good ideas" being implemented in a proposed ordinance scheduled for public hearing and a vote by the city council next month.

A copy of that proposed ordinance is available to you by clicking here. It's short, sweet and to the point. You'll find in bold print those points added to the city's existing ordinance. They are the points Mike deems critical for you to consider should you decide to sit down with your local lawmakers to put regulations in place to protect your community from illegal home sharing and keep its playing field level.

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Always remember your first line of offense is on your own website:

"Inspected and approved by the Michigan Bed & Breakfast Association

as an inn that assures personal hospitality, is fully insured

and meets its high quality standards."

#MichBnB

Monday, March 7, 2016

Combating AirBnB

Attached are several of the e-mails and letters that we (PAII, the Virginia B&B Association - Local Governments - Cities, Towns and Counties) sent to VA Legislators over a three week period. Virtually every legislator (House Delegate and Senator) received over 300 or more letters or e-mails and had their voice mails filled at least once during the three weeks. Many legislators, on key committees that were going to vote on the Airbnb Legislation, got many more messages and received personal visits from one or more of the groups that were working against the Airbnb Legislation. Finally, multiple speakers spoke against the Airbnb Legislation at every committee that was going to consider or vote on the Bill(s).

The effort was coordinated by VRLTA (they have paid lobbyists, we don’t) with very active participation from all the other groups, especially PAII and BBAV and Local Governments. It was absolutely essential that B&Bs were part of this effort as it instantly counters the Airbnb message that it is the giant hotel industry versus some poor Grandmother trying to make the mortgage payments by renting out a room through Airbnb. Getting B&Bs to participate helps send the message that it is the $25 Billion Dollar Airbnb Goliath that is beating up on the real (Legal) Mom and Pop B&Bs.

Finally, get the media involved. Initiate or respond to every article, letter to the editor, Facebook, twitter or blog post. Don't let any Airbnb favorable comment go unanswered.

In addition to the e-mails that provided information about Airbnb and the Bills and provided the rationale needed to vote against the Airbnb Legislation, there was a parallel campaign that flooded the legislators with every possible article that told the truth about Airbnb – like that they can’t be trusted and that there is a serious problem with safety and security at some Airbnb hosts. A few slides (from AH&LA) that show some of the headlines are also attached. You can just do a search on “Airbnb” to find a lot more.

Airbnb runs a very effective campaign that stresses how many millions in taxes they will collect for, and pay, the state. Not only does their approach hide the fact that the Airbnb Bill(s) clearly discriminate against Legal B&Bs, but it is a hard thing for the legislators to turn down the big check that is on the end of the hook – and that usually “hides” the “hook”. The “hook” iis the lack of transparency into who the hosts are, where they are, the fact that the Airbnb Hosts do not have to comply with Federal, State and Local Government Laws, Codes, Regulations or Ordinances, that Airbnb will never collect and pay all the taxes really due and that Local Governments will not be able to protect their citizens, and visitors, or enforce the Laws, Regulations, and Codes, or collect all the taxes and fees due (that Legal B&Bs have to pay) because they will have no visibility into what is happening in their communities.

The lopsided vote (90-8-1) in Virginia to send the Airbnb Bill back for additional study and to require transparency, is proof that once legislators are made aware of the inherent unfairness of the Airbnb approach, learn of the potential lack of safety and security for guests because Airbnb does not mandate compliance with Federal, State and Local Laws, Codes and Regulations, and recognize that local Governments have both a need and a right to protect their communities and collect appropriate taxes, that they will do the right thing for their states, just as they did for Virginia.

Another valuable point to “ask” your elected officials is: “Do you really want a third party, commercial company, which has had questions raised about their openness and trustworthiness[JN1] , to collect and pay your taxes.”

As you know PAII will be happy to assist you in your efforts, Contact Kris Ullmer at PAII.Org if you need anything else. kris@paii.org

Thanks- To Senator or Delegate

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUd28xZTQ4VG9zQjQ/view?usp=sharing

To a Senator

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUcnZyNVlvRlBsVnc/view?usp=sharing

E-mail after Finance Committee passed Airbnb Legislation

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUankta3JFdjNRNXM/view?usp=sharing

Airbnb Statement for for VA Legislature

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUY3JpR1ppRE5DWTQ/view?usp=sharing

Virginia has Spoken

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUOTNRdXk4XzNZZzg/view?usp=sharing

IAM Position Statement

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUcDdBTmtTYmEwWm8/view?usp=sharing

Letter to VA Senate Finance Committee

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUaXcyTDRQUHdjY3c/view?usp=sharing

Message to Delegates (Appropriations)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUNzUxRWU0ME5QT1E/view?usp=sharing

Letter or E-mail to Legislator

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUMnlISENyRklCRmc/view?usp=sharing

Response to Letter to Editor

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8NhdxswriMUSFJVWDNDLUhnS28/view?usp=sharing

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

PAII News You Can Use for 2/24/2016

We are committed to fostering a knowledgeable, caring and conscientious community of professional innkeepers,
networking with each other throughout the world.

Your Weekly News & Updates

News You Can Use - our weekly cruise thru the issues and topics

for the business of Innkeeping.

Not all News You Can Use is going to be upbeat - although the 'singing CPA' (in the Common Sense: 6 Tax Tips for Innkeepers) comes close!

Measuring Airbnb's Real Threat...

On the heels of a legislative loss for Virginia's B&B community* (and all legally licensed & insured lodging) comes another study documenting the impact of Airbnb. And, we certainly take note that the 2 top cities of Airbnb growth (exceeding 275%) are Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia.

The CBRE report provides market-by-market insights comparing Airbnb data to hotel data. It focused its research into Airbnb because of the company's impact in traditional hotel markets as well as its domination (emphasis ours) of a competitive set - as measured by Google Trends - that includes VRBO, HomeAway, and FlipKey. (some familiar names here...)

The ADR (average daily rate) for Airbnb rooms was $148.42, while hotels had an ADR of $119.11 and a traditional bed and breakfast was $103.25. Airbnb exerts a downward pressure on hotel room pricing during big events and other crowded periods...

After you've digested the bar-graphs, we suggest you read a second article (link at bottom of the article page): The Very Profitable Life of the Airbnb Superhost - and you'll note that the Skift report comments : "The only reason these hosts aren't heralded as great hosts by Airbnb - they are almost always the most highly reviewed by guests - is that they run counter to the "savior of the middle class" narrative Airbnb is now hoping will win it political battles."

And, to comment on the aforementioned political battle, Jack North (Mayhurst Inn, Orange VA) who attended and attempted (many constituents were denied or given 5 seconds) to testify at the hearings writes:

*February 16: The vote to send the revised Airbnb sponsored SB 416 and SB 571 to the whole Senate was a loss for all Virginians (8-6-1), especially for our 600 legal B&Bs, and for the safety and security of the tens of thousands of guests to the Commonwealth that will stay in these totally unregulated "homes" if this bill gets signed into law. The bill passed the full Senate (20-19) BY ONE VOTE. The only way to stop it is if the Governor vetos it.

Quite simply Airbnb is offering to collect and pay taxes from the thousands of their "hosts" (about 4000 in Virginia) in turn for not having to tell who they are, where they are, not requiring compliance with building, fire, safety, health, and ABC codes laws and regulations, not allowing an audit of, or and visibility into, the details associate with their listings, and not even guaranteeing that all Airbnb properties are paying the proper taxes. Essentially Airbnb is saying "trust us" rather than the local governments.

Til next week ...

Kris Ullmer, PAII Executive Director

News You Can Use:

Common Cents: 6 Tax Tips for Innkeepers

Friday, February 12, 2016

PAII News You Can Use for 2/10/2016

We are committed to fostering a knowledgeable, caring and conscientious community of professional innkeepers,
networking with each other throughout the world.

Your Weekly News & Updates

News You Can Use - our weekly cruise thru the issues and topics

for the business of Innkeeping.

Your weekly News You Can Use regularly includes 5 categories:

1. News You Can Use - practical, hands-on Innkeeping tips ranging from photography to knife sharpening to using guest reviews to growing your email list.

2. Industry News - what's happening with travel websites / fraudulent travel websites, key travel trends, OTA fees and (almost) all things Google.

3. Social Media & SEO Changes Innkeepers need to know - tools for publishing and managing your social media marketing, plus roll-outs and often a 'how to' use.

4. Featured Past PAII Webinar from our Archives - a recent presentation from industry experts (partners, innkeepers, related businesses): insurance, cooking class, marketing challenges, non-room revenue.

5. Innkeeping Recipes - to inspire you!

We invite you to tell us what you think - are these topics relevant to your business? Why or why not? What additional topics would you like to see addressed? Send your thoughts to me at kris@paii.org. I look forward to hearing from you!

And, in this issue ...

Top Ten lists highlight the best of the best - and Awesome Food Photography does this plus 1 with tips for food photography using any camera, including a smart phone camera! And, we agree with Jumping Rocks: it is still surprising that many B&B websites have no pictures of breakfast ... this is a missed opportunity to differentiate a B&B from other lodging - including vacation rentals. Props and propping, styling, composition, and a sense of life elevate the appeal of a food image ... and discover the 'secret sauce' of food photography in the bonus video!

Foursquare Enters Trip Planning Melee (and let's keep in mind the definition of melee: a noisy confused fight or conflict!), with Trip Tips: a new way to plan travel with help from friends. Foursquare says it's simple-"tell us where you're going and we'll give you a link to share with friends. All of their suggestions are collected into a list with a map, which is saved to your phone for on-the-go access." Let's encourage those 'friends' to recommend their B&B experience!

Opportunity knocks - or clicks - our Jobs Wanted / Offered page is growing with postings for positions throughout the country! This posting service is YOURS to use, whether you are in the job wanted or job offered category. See the link below.

'til next week -

Kris Ullmer, PAII Executive Director

News You Can Use:

Awesome Food Photos with any camera: 11 Tips

Pages

Tuesday, January 24, 2017