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Editorial comment
25•11•19 Welcome to the latest Short Term Rentalz weekly newsletter!
• In a widely-anticipated move that we reported three weeks ago, Airbnb has finalised its global sponsorship agreement with the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees [IOC and IPC], although the news has not received unanimous backing.
The deal, which sees Airbnb become an official Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner in the 'Unique Accommodation Products and Unique Experiences Services' category, is estimated to be worth around $500m and spans nine years, including the next two Olympic and Winter Olympic Games starting with Paris in 2024, and the next five editions of the Paralympics.
Under the agreement, visitors, families of athletes, and officials will be provided with guaranteed accommodation during the Games, as a means of cost-cutting and ensuring there is a reduced need for host cities to invest heavily in new hotels, following criticism of spending at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. At the same time, Airbnb is launching its Olympian Experiences program as the latest arm of its Experiences series to encourage guests to meet and train with actual athletes.
Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and IOC president Thomas Bach called it a "landmark partnership".
However, news of Airbnb's partnership with the international committees generated notable anger in the cities of Toronto and Paris, with the latter being the first host city of a Games associated with the home-sharing platform.
Paris city officials are at odds with the platform over claims it is hiking up rent costs in the city and "destabilising local businesses and traditional hotels" according to Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who is now calling for a referendum on Airbnb's usage in the capital if she is re-elected into the role in 2020.
Meanwhile, locals in Toronto are directing their anger at Airbnb for supposedly playing its part in a crippling housing shortage in Canada's largest city, but a tribunal has now approved new bylaws that will allow it to rein in short-term rentals there.
• In other news, our inaugural Shortyz Awards on 11 March 2020 are continuing to generate a huge amount of traction in terms of nominations from across the industry. Visit our newly-launched Shortyz website here, where you can find all the information you need, including event details, the nomination and judging process, award categories and the judging panel.
With the deadline for submitting nominations on 31 December 2019 fast approaching, we encourage everyone in the short-term rental industry to get nominating your Shortyz Stars at shortyz@internationalhospitality.media - it's as easy as 1-2-3!
• Finally, with our highly-anticipated 2020 predictions piece on the horizon, remember to get in touch with me if you want to contribute your insights to the article!
If you have a story you want us to tell the industry, please click here and get involved with the community by joining our ShortTermRentalz LinkedIn group.
Paul Stevens, news editor
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