On Thursday 20 September, HOTREC, an association representing the hotel, restaurant and café industry at European level, applauded the European Commission’ firm line that has led AirBnb to pledge to respect European consumer rights guaranteed by EU law and thus satisfy the demands of national consumer protection bodies (see EUROPE 12100).
HOTREC says that the commitments will help ensure a fairer tourism market with healthy competition, it explains in a press release, adding that it particularly subscribes to the demand for "greater transparency and reliable information about the market" and now expects AirBnb to implement its commitments.
"The European hospitality industry has always been advocating that activities of the so-called collaborative economy may widen the choice of travellers, however strongly stressing that this should happen in a fair and sustainable manner", said Ramón Estalella, Chair of HOTREC’s Collaborative Economy Task Force. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)