Jamaica’s listing of Airbnb accommodations have moved from 6,500 to 9,000 over the past year, and attracted close to 90,000 visitors, according to the Jamaica Home Sharing Association (JHSA).

Up to the end of 2016, there were 4,000 listings on Airbnb in Jamaica, a clear indication of how quickly Jamaicans are embracing the United States-based short-term rental entity.

At the association’s first annual general meeting held at Devon House in Kingston yesterday, outgoing JHSA President Havanah Llewellyn said there had also been an increase from 3,100 to close to 4,000 registered Airbnb hosts during the period and the association’s membership had also grown by 30 per cent since it was established just over a year ago.

He said the JHSA had been working with the Government to help enhance the tourism sector through agencies such as the Tourism Development Product Company and the Tourism Enhancement Fund, noting that in 2016 Airbnb and the Jamaica Torist Board signed a major agreement to promote tourism on the island.

At the same time, he urged persons to become hosts to the various experiences which are being made available to visitors, noting that some 100 experiences have been conceptualised.

Llewellyn explained that, while the industry faces an issue where taxation is concerned, the Government has been working with home sharers to grow the sector and as such hosts want to pay their fair share of taxes, “so we must continue to grow our business”.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett recently dismissed reports that the Government intends to impose a tax on Airbnb hosts.

“I have heard the false reports, especially on social media… [but] nothing could be further from the truth, as we have had no such discussion..What we have discussed is an administrative charge being levied on Airbnb, which will in no way, shape, or form affect what is being paid over by Airbnb to property owners,” he stated in an interview with the Jamaica Information Service.

The JHSA was launched by Airbnb in April 2018 to enable more Jamaicans to become involved in the growing industry. According to its incoming President Sherie-Ann Anderson, Airbnb has 500 million guest arrivals every two minutes globally.

Airbnb is an online marketplace and home-stay network which allows homeowners to list or rent short-term stay in residential properties, with rates set by the property owner. Airbnb collects a percentage of the earnings as service fees from hosts and guests.