Despite crackdown, Airbnb says it can help Hong Kong tourism bounce back faster when Covid-19 subsides, has no plans to exit city

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Hong Kong is tightening supervision over short-term home rentals offered through platforms such as Airbnb. Photo: DPA

Published: 10:00am, 24 Aug 2020Updated: 3:24pm, 24 Aug 2020

Airbnb says it can help Hong Kong’s tourism industry recover faster after the coronavirus pandemic subsides, pointing to research that found each guest who booked accommodation through the app spent nearly HK$6,000 (US$774) on average during their stay.

The company has come under greater scrutiny in the Asian financial hub, where hoteliers claim most listings are skirting licensing rules for short-term home rentals. A new law set to take effect later this year threatens stiff penalties for flat owners offering stays who run afoul of the regulatory framework.

Despite the crackdown, Airbnb remains committed to Hong Kong and can play a role in reviving its decimated tourism industry, a senior executive says.

“We believe that when the travellers come back and the border restrictions lifted, we can see Airbnb help Hong Kong tourism recover in a faster manner,” said Marvin Ma, the company’s senior public policy and communications manager for Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Research commissioned by Airbnb found that for every HK$775 tourists using their service spent on accommodation in Hong Kong, they spent another HK$3,600 with local businesses. Photo: AFP

He pointed to a commissioned study carried out by independent advisory firm Oxford Economics that found Airbnb guests spent a total of HK$15.4 billion (US$1.98 billion) between 2015 and 2019, growing at an annual rate of 12.4 per cent. Last year alone, some 13,000 listings were made, attracting more than 540,000 guests who spent HK$3.11 billion.