TCR NEWS
With approval of the law that regulates the provision of tourist rental services in housing through digital platforms, Airbnb executives anticipate a considerable drop in the number of hosts in Costa Rica.
On September 5, the bill was approved in second and final debate and only requires the signature of the president and publication in La Gaceta, for the new rules that will apply to the sector to enter into force.
Carlos Muñoz, Airbnb’s director of Public Policies and Communications for the Caribbean and Central America, said that “… a possible sharp fall of its hosts in Costa Rica is expected, in view of the obligations of the new law that regulates non-traditional accommodation in the country. Additional expenses are required such as hiring lawyers and accountants, as well as the adequacy of accommodation sites, which would cause this desertion of affiliates.”
Muñoz added that “… The drafting of the law is not appropriate for a company that is not domiciled in Costa Rica and that may have, for example, a Costa Rican host based in Mexico who rents a house in Costa Rica and does so through a management company.”
For the Association of Free Consumers of Costa Rica, the bill that will regulate non-traditional hosting platforms such as Aribnb, contemplates, in addition to the 13% tax, other requirements for bidders, such as registration with the Costa Rican Tourism board.
