Gov't Move Welcomed by Accommodation Sharing Services
Deputy Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki remarked on June 4 that the government would handle the conflict between accommodation sharing and traditional accommodation services within this year.
According to him, the government is going to provide assistance so that the two sectors can make mutual concessions and flourish together and the assistance can take the form of a collaborative relationship based on a cooperative organization, a profit-sharing agreement, a co-prosperity fund, deregulation, non-discriminative regulations, business adjustment covering business hours, or the like.
Some countries are already promoting the new industry by using such measures. For instance, Airbnb is subject to an administrative charge of US$5 in New Orleans and every Airbnb customer in Barcelona must pay a tourism tax of 2.25 euros per night. In Japan, every accommodation sharing service provider’s annual business period is limited to 180 days.
After the deputy prime minister’s remarks, the local accommodation sharing industry expressed its welcome whereas traditional lodging service providers complained.