Airbnb signs an agreement with Anci, will collect tourist tax throughout Italy

Starting from 2022, Airbnb will activate the digital collection of the tourist tax throughout Italy, directly dealing with the payment for short rentals for hosts and municipalities who request it. To this end, Airbnb and Ancicomunicare have signed a collaboration to reach and inform the more than 1,100 local authorities (including municipalities, unions of municipalities and autonomous provinces) that have so far established the tax. This was announced today by Chris Lehane, Airbnb Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Communications, at the Anci Annual Meeting in Parma. Launched exclusively for Italy, the feature is one of over 50 new features included in the Airbnb Winter Release, the latest update to the platform, along with the AirCover insurance policy, an innovative translation engine and improved accessibility filters. To encourage and simplify the recovery of tourism, the top management of the company also presented a ‘pact’ for sustainable and responsible tourism, which anticipates the publication of only advertisements with an identification code, and the sharing of host data to the authorities for administrative and fiscal. The tourist tax In Italy there are over 1,100 entities that have established the tourist tax. The number has exploded recently, for a transfer that in 2019 was 604 million euros, of which 298 in the top 10 tourist destinations and 117 in Rome alone (elaboration of the Ifel Anci Foundation for Local Finance on Siope and Bdap data). But according to the law, those who would have the right are almost 6,000. The only platform to do so, Airbnb in recent years has activated memoranda of understanding with 24 of the main Italian destinations – including Rome, Florence, Milan, Turin, Naples and Palermo, simplifying collection for millions of arrivals and a pay-off in 2019 of over 22 million euros. In Italy, in the third quarter of 2019, 4 cities (Rome, Venice, Milan and Florence) accounted for 26% of trips on Airbnb. In the same quarter of 2021, however, the ‘weight’ of the same cities dropped to 17%. “With the dispersion of post-pandemic tourist flows, and the increase in the number of entities, it was clear that it became necessary to find another solution,” explained Lehane. “This tool is designed to overcome the enormous bureaucratic problem of having to stipulate agreements with each single municipality. The pandemic has led to a tourism revolution, which is now more dispersed, with more economic opportunities for local communities. We are committed to making this opportunity easier and more sustainable for administrations, hosts and guests. To date, we have paid a total of over $ 4 billion in local taxes worldwide, but the expansion we are launching in Italy is unprecedented. “Starting from March 1, 2022, Airbnb will make available to all hosts, municipalities and Italian organizations who have established the tourist tax, collection at the time of booking, through the use of digital payment tools. Furthermore, for short-term rentals, Airbnb will also take care of the transfer directly to the Municipalities or Bodies that will join the program. To make the transfer possible, it is necessary that the Municipality or the Entity register on a dedicated portal. Ancicomunicare and Airbnb will be engaged in a campaign to present the registration portal in the coming months. Interested municipalities can contact Ancicomunicare at [email protected]. The simplification and digitization of the tourist tax is the first initiative of a real ‘pact’ for sustainable and responsible tourism announced by Airbnb. These are a series of proposals to encourage and accelerate the recovery of the sector which include: compulsory registration: publication on digital platforms only of advertisements with an identification code; data sharing: sharing host data to authorities for administrative and tax purposes; tourism promotion: joint initiatives with tourism promotion bodies to relaunch Italy and its territories as a destination, leveraging post-pandemic tourism trends (eg Smart working and long-term stays, digital nomads). Among the collaborations already started, the protocol with the Municipality of Milan for the promotion of housing leases for temporary use and with the Municipality of Florence to promote authentic local experiences; good neighborhood: digital tools to ensure the safety and tranquility of both residents and guests.