Article by Will Grunewald in Downeast Magazine explores the unique problems Airbnb has created for Maine lodging properties.
The big ideas:
- Except in a few cities, Maine is lacking in largish hotels, which in most other places are the class of lodging property most adversely affected by Airbnb. (Research presented in this article at DavidHBoggs.com indicates that 43% of Airbnb users would otherwise have stayed at mid-range hotels.)
- In the absence of hotels, especially in rural areas, bed and breakfasts tend to be most adversely affected by Airbnb in Maine. Renting out a spare room on Airbnb is an easy way for someone to make a buck, and underpricing the local bed and breakfasts isn't hard to do in most cases.
- Legislation proposed by the Maine Innkeepers Association would have subjected Airbnb properties to regulations and licensing currently required of hotels and bed and breakfasts. But this never made it to a vote in the Legislature.
- Some towns have passed new ordinances intended to level the playing field, but enforcement has proved difficult.
Unfortunately, towns and the state legislature are probably going to keep kicking this can down the road until fire or some other disaster puts a media spotlight on these unregulated properties.
