Tourism authority registers over 8,000 Airbnbs

The Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) has issued over 8,000 Airbnb facilities with licenses after registering them.

The authority embarked on an inspection exercise of all Airbnb properties after it emerged that a large number were operating illegally.

TRA’s general manager Nobert Taalam on Friday announced that the authority targets to register over 50,000 Airbnb facilities in three months.

“Airbnb facilities have to be registered and those who are yet to should know that we are coming for them,” he said.

He underscored the crucial role the facilities play in enhancing tourism in the country but noted that need to be registered for regulation.

Once the registration is concluded, Taalam noted that their owners will undergo training to help them offer quality services and ensure the security of their guests.

He said the government is committed to ensuring the safety of all guests using Airbnb properties is guaranteed.

“Registering all Airbnb properties will assure both local and international guests that they will be safe and boost their operations,” he said.

He said TRA is partnering with the Private Security Regulatory Authority to have all guests who are accommodated in Airbnb facilities registered and secured.

Next month, Taalam said the authority will start classifying all tourism and hospitality facilities in the country, an exercise that will be implemented for six months.

The exercise will see hospitality facilities be star-rated from 5-star to 1-star and will ensure individual facilities offer services that tally with their categorized cluster.

The classification exercise was last conducted between 2018 and 2019 and will give a mark of quality that both international and local guests can associate with.

“Let those who will be involved in the exercise cooperate to ease the process and help conduct it in accordance with the guidelines,” he said.

Taalam was speaking in Murang’a during an award ceremony for hotels and tourism establishments in nine counties in the Mt Kenya region.

About 290 hotels and tourism facilities participated in the award ceremony with 63 hotels being awarded gold, the highest mark of quality.

About 64 others got bronze while 21 were awarded silver.

The director said the hotels can use the awards to market themselves and their services, and boost tourism in the region.

James Ndungu of Silver Lodges of Lake Nakuru unit lauded the authority saying the assessment of the facilities has opened up ways of improvement.

Ndung’u said the support from TRA will encourage business activities that have the potential to create job opportunities for many.

“Those who participated in the exercise have been challenged to do better and improve the quality of their services,” he said.

He emphasized that providing fair competition will ensure the growth of the industry and help boost the economy.