These days complaints about Airbnb’s negative impacts are a loudly squeaking wheel. The public and council react whilst local Airbnb hosts count their blessings and quietly hope they don’t get slammed with a heavy levy or some sort of ban.
But let’s look at the good things Airbnb (and similar*) bring to our community.
1. The sharing economy is a good thing.
What’s not to like about people participating in an economy that so often squeezes them out and leaves them scratching around for a bit of extra cash? If regulated wisely, peer to peer accommodation sharing can help both the Airbnber and help alleviate the mismatch between income and housing costs, and more besides. (Source: Noosa Council Housing Needs Assessment)
2. Airbnb offers a wide range of choice.
Sure, it’s competitive with established accommodation providers – but it does offer us guests some real diversity. I can sympathise with Noosa’s established providers anxiety about the loss of bookings. To protect this new era of choice and diversity, we need to take a holistic view of the market and perhaps look at reducing some of the charges levied at ‘traditional’ entities (take some lessons from the taxi licensing debacle) to ensure the playing field is suitably evened out.
3. Airbnb hosting creates demand for employment.
Cooroy’s eco cottages are thriving and expanding. Repair and maintenance trades and anything connected with providing services for visitors benefit greatly in an economic environment prone to substantial waxing and waning. More about Airbnb’s economic impact here.
4. Deal with the negatives for the community only.
There is a vast difference between responsible accommodation hosting and house party type operations, with the latter leading more frequently to noise and other challenges to neighbourhoods. As our community addresses this issue, we need to frame deliberations as: How can we support the good whilst dealing firmly and fairly with the bad?
5. Tourism Noosa needs to adapt to a changing economy.
Tourism Noosa as a publicly funded entity should be required to adapt to new realities of disrupted commerce and other industry changes which are so characteristic of this changing economy. We should consider refocusing Tourism Noosa from marketing to sustainability with a firm goal of reducing the environmental and social impacts of tourism.
6. Behavioural change in a more personal marketplace.
Airbnb hosting is generally more boutique, personable and intimate. Hosts can help introduce visitors to a greater appreciation of our shire and its environment while ensuring the footprint they leave behind is a gentle one. An important question should be: how can Airbnb providers be supported in gaining visitor appreciation for Noosa’s precious high biodiversity?
7. Housing affordability may just get a boost from this.
Housing (un)affordability has been a major social issue in Noosa way before Airbnb came along. What are the practical steps that can be taken to really provide solutions here – e.g., subsidised housing, rent controls or low-income-friendly planning approval conditions.
8. Government to get off the back foot.
Disruptive new business models have been coming our way for years. When Airbnb opened its Sydney offices in 2011, 10% of its user base was already Australian (source: wikipedia). So, after seven years, Queensland shouldn’t be surprised. But we have been. Our political leaders and legislators need to rediscover their front foot.
9. Accessibility and transparency matters (as always).
Politics has to become more accessible and more transparent to be able to keep step with rapid change. This could be greatly improved if we were to get more diversity into our elected government representatives. We need to open up government to get younger, more broadly experienced, commercially savvy people interested and get them to understand the processes and functions of our democracy. To genuinely engage younger people we need to get away from a political process shrouded in bureaucrat language, backdoor decision making and unnecessary complexity.
10. Develop good, fair and inclusive policies.
Airbnb has a very useful policy tool chest to help communities to address issues brought about by ‘disruptive technologies’. We would like to see council improve its consultation process and approach the topic with an open mind. We need to create a more neutral and trusting environment to really hear a diverse range of hosts out.
* We are aware, that an increasing number of agents are offering short-term rental brokerage. We use ‘Airbnb’ as a short form.
“We should consider refocusing Tourism Noosa from marketing to sustainability with a firm goal of reducing the environmental and social impacts of tourism.”
This would be a great idea. To me, subsidising a group to bring more visitors here is pointless given that the town is packed out most of the time. Tourism Noosa could be reconfigured to become an industry body and then disconnected from the public payroll. Then the tourism levy, currently accumulating at over $3 million per annum, could re directed to tourism infrastructure and, even, affordable housing.
Is what I said in not so many words 🙂