Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ana CeballosJanuary 16, 2018

Two measures that would preempt local regulations on vacation rentals featured on sites like Airbnb are facing backlash from the bed and breakfast industry which claims short-term rentals are a “serious risk” to tourists. “We urge our lawmakers not to put Florida’s world-class lodging reputation at risk for illegal commercial operators,” said Carol Dover, the […]

Scott PowersJanuary 15, 2018

Whatever the president of the United States might say about them, the countries of Haiti, El Salvador and on the continent of Africa are getting a shout-out from Airbnb in a quick campaign to defend the countries where the vacation rental home market claims more than 116,000 listings. “2.7M guests from Airbnb decided that countries […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 10, 2018

“[Miami Beach] doesn’t want what [you’re] selling!!!!” Per the Miami Herald in 2017, this was then Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine‘s reaction to AirBnB wanting to do business in the city. Levine went on to tweet that while he loved AirBnB, in Miami Beach they would be “destroying neighborhoods/buildings [with] short term rentals.” He amplified this point on […]

Peter SchorschDecember 28, 2017

Florida and Airbnb are making an excellent pair, as a new report shows users of the global vacation rental website had a significant role in the state’s record-setting tourism year. In 2017, nearly 40,000 Florida Airbnb hosts earned a combined $450 million from approximately 2.7 million guests, according to company figures released Thursday. That is […]

Guest AuthorDecember 15, 2017

Travel and tourism have long served as the backbone of Florida’s economy, which is now the 18th largest in the world. Here in Pensacola, we’re proud that our city has emerged as a driving force of this growth industry. In just the past year, the Pensacola region welcomed 2.7 million visitors who have invested $787 […]

Scott PowersDecember 12, 2017

Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward was the star of a television commercial that began in Tallahassee last week in which he extolled the virtues of vacation rental homes in Pensacola and Airbnb for marketing them – but opponents of that company’s legislative agenda are striking back this week, with a new video starring Hayward. Hayward didn’t […]

Scott PowersDecember 4, 2017

Airbnb is launching a television commercial this week in Tallahassee to convince Florida Legislators of the back-home support for vacation rentals, which again are facing the prospect of legislation over whether and how local governments can regulate them. The new commercial running this week in the Tallahassee market, “Airbnb citizen,” features Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward talking […]

Guest AuthorOctober 26, 2017

Recently it was reported by The New York Times that President Xi of China and the Communist Party, in order “To reduce the flow of outsiders to the capital, Airbnb and similar home-sharing services have been temporarily suspended.” Nothing would make the Florida hotel industry and local governments happier than if they could do the […]

Scott PowersOctober 24, 2017

After hearing a cavalcade of criticisms of short-term vacation rental homes in Florida two weeks ago, the Florida Senate Community Affairs Committee heard many positives Tuesday morning, while deliberating whether there need to be any state regulations. The committee’s workshop on vacation rental homes was extended from its initial hearing of the 2018 Florida Legislative […]

Guest AuthorOctober 18, 2017

As the voice of Florida’s hospitality industry, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association has long championed a uniform, statewide system of compliance for all commercial lodging establishments. As they compete for tourism business, all FRLA lodging members must register with the State, collect taxes, and protect Florida consumers through adequate insurance — rules that prevent […]

Tag: Airbnb
Aleksandar Vucic Image via AP

Lawmakers want to toss ‘patchwork’ of local vacation rental regulations

Airbnb touts El Salvador, Haiti, Africa, and speaks out against discrimination

Noted for opposition to AirBnB, Philip Levine holds Jax event at AirBnB house

Airbnb a key player in record-setting year of Florida tourism

Ashton Hayward: Residents, tourists alike can benefit from sharing economy

Opponents strike back on Ashton Hayward’s Airbnb commercial

Airbnb takes to Tallahassee TV to promote vacation rentals

Greg Steube: Hotels want Florida to be like Communist China

Senate panel hears values of vacation rentals, mulls regulations

Carol Dover: Protect Florida tourists, neighborhoods by stopping illegal hotel operators