Inquiry into the sharing economy

The Tourism All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has released its final report on the impact of the sharing economy on the UK tourism industry. The report recognises that sharing economy accommodation businesses can enhance tourism industry growth by providing increased capacity, enhancing customer choice, and providing visitors with the opportunity for new experiences during their stay. However, it also highlights the need to protect customer safety, maintain a level regulatory playing field across the tourism industry, take into account the needs of local communities, and ensure that all operators of tourism accommodation are paying the appropriate level of tax. The report finds that sharing economy platforms continue to be poor at ensuring properties listed on their sites comply with regulations, especially in relation to mandatory fire and health and safetyrequirements. The report also concludes that, while sharing economy websites began with homeowners making additional income from renting out a spare room, there is significant evidence that people are using these platforms to run tourism accommodation businesses. For example, in London, the owner is not present at around 50% of the 64,000 properties listed on Airbnb, while over 40% of properties are listed by someone who is listing multiple properties.