Far North District Council need to put in place a regulation framework that holds operators of short-term holiday letting properties (e.g. AirBNB, Bookabach etc.) accountable to the same rules and standards as a commercial accommodation provider.

The accommodation industry is the lifeblood of the Bay of Islands. The industry is a major employer of locals as well as the driver for domestic and international visitors to spend money in the area on restaurants, tours, attractions, fuel and more. Allowing unregulated providers to operate unchecked is not a level playing field. It puts downward pressure on prices for legitimate accommodation prices but also taking up all the housing in Russell and other areas for long term rentals. This makes it impossible to attract good seasonal staff as they cannot find anywhere to live. Our expenses and regulatory burden is ever increasing and it's becoming more and more difficult to increase pricing to cover these increases.

This is one of the key issues affecting local accommodation providers and we are seeking your support to find a solution.