Airbnb demands clearer guideline on tourism tax

Online hospitality service brokerage company Airbnb Inc urged the government to provide a clearer guideline on the tourism tax for its type of business.

General manager for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan Mike Orgill (photo, above) said currently, there were some confusing issues, including on registration and tax collection.

“All our properties need to be registered, but there is a question about the process,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

He also pointed out the need for a fairer tax structure to ensure a level playing field for all industry players.

Under the current structure, all registered accommodation in the country is required to collect RM10 per night in tourism tax from foreign tourists.

Orgill also noted there was an issue of collection, whether Airbnb should collect the tax on behalf of the government or the government would collect it directly from the property owners listed on Airbnb.

He said currently, some of the property owners collected the tax themselves before submitting it to the authorities.

Meanwhile, on Airbnb operations in Malaysia, Orgill said the company recorded 3.25 million guests in the last 12 months, a jump of 73 percent year-on-year.

Much of the Airbnb growth in Malaysia was powered by travellers who seek unique and authentic local experiences, he said.

Currently, Airbnb has 53,000 accommodation listings in Malaysia and over six billion listings globally.

- Bernama