Jamaica’s move to tighten regulations on Airbnb and other short-term rental operators is gaining wider Caribbean backing, with regional hoteliers now demanding equal taxation across the accommodation sector while also pushing back against new commission practices by Booking.com that they say could drain millions from the region.

Speaking at Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Antigua,  Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) President Sanovnik Destang said Caribbean governments must ensure that hotels and short-term rental operators compete under similar tax and regulatory rules.

“We are advocating that all sectors of the accommodation industry should be under the same tax rate,” Destang declared during a press conference. “If the tax rate on hotels in a destination is 10 per cent, it should be the same. Everyone should make a fair contribution.”