I guess the CVB had a luncheon (today?) and a little birdy told me the discussion quickly went to how Air BNB is hurting the hotel industry in Sioux Falls and maybe it is time to start charging them a Bid Tax.
Gee. I wonder whose idea that was? Probably some idiot blogger.
The operators of Air BNB already have skirted paying other lodging taxes (they pay sales taxes) and avoid the same health inspections Hotels, Motels and Bed & Breakfasts have to endure.
Maybe it was just idle bitching, but I have never known the leader of the CVB to remain idle to long.
Hotels are often booked with high room rates. What the city should focus on is attracting more hotel developers. They’re not interested when there’s overwhelming Air BNB competition. What’s needed is a ‘Bed Bugs’ scare. Hotels offer quality control and city health inspections. Air BNB suppliers have nothing.
DS– I want to assure you as a person who teaches real estate classes and a 40 hour Fundamentals of Property Management Pre Licensing class that I do a 45 minute segment on just bed bugs and we DO have a huge issue with them here in Sioux Falls. Constantly! I never go into a hotel and not set my luggage in the tub–it’s the only place bed bugs can’t crawl into cause it’s slippery– and tear the bed apart, open any mattress covers, inspect behind the wall art, outlets, etc. We have bed bugs in all our hotels, hospitals, shelters, and they have to do regular extermination to try to keep them out or from spreading worse. I know the Sioux City hospital has Orkin on call 24/7 they have them so bad. So, we have the scare it’s just not a new popular thing to talk about anymore!!!!