SANTO DOMINGO.- Executives from the Airbnb platform are in the country and will sign an agreement today with the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) to advance the steps towards regulating the platform's service in the Dominican Republic, Minister David Collado reported yesterday.
The official stated that they plan to sign an agreement today, Friday, which seeks to regulate certain parameters on the part of this digital platform regarding safety and health for tourists.
He clarified that the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) does not handle tax regularization, but this platform is fully prepared to regularize itself in the Dominican Republic, and for that reason, they are in communication with the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII).
"Airbnb has approached us, we have a letter of intent, we will meet with them tomorrow (today), where an agreement for regularization will be signed," the minister said
Growth and campaign
Since the PLD administration, the Dominican Republic Hotel and Tourism Association (Asonahores) has been pushing for the government to regulate the short-term rental service in the country, considering that the platform's payment should be equal to that of hotels.
Their representatives argue that the State has an opportunity to raise revenue.
Currently, there are more than 90,000 rooms in the country dedicated to the short-stay model, almost double the number owned by the hotel sector.
President Luis Abinader said in his speech on February 27 that in the last year the occupation of properties using this tool increased between 25 and 35%.
