Booking.com and Airbnb are on the verge of disappearing in Romania due to a legal text already advanced to the decision-making forum of deputies, which no longer allows individuals with unclassified apartments to promote them on these portals, believes lawyer Adrian Calin Cuculis.
He fears that Romanian authorities, because they will not be able to legally impose on these portals what to promote and what not, as they are not registered in Romania, will end up blocking Romanians’ access to them, as happens in Turkey.
The Tourism Law provides, among other things, the obligation for websites or platforms dedicated to renting accommodation spaces not to promote advertisements for unregistered or unclassified structures.
He believes that the measure, which will apply if the law passes the Chamber of Deputies, is wrong, as long as tax authorities have access and can request data regarding what transactions are carried out.
The draft Tourism Law will not ban the operation of Booking or Airbnb on Romanian territory, specifies the Ministry of Tourism, which emphasizes that the law will oblige websites and online platforms to promote only classified accommodation structures. The Ministry of Tourism sent, on Wednesday evening, a series of clarifications regarding the operation of booking companies in Romania, once the Tourism Law is adopted.
Source: Profit
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Booking.com and Airbnb be banned in Romania?
No, the Ministry of Tourism clarified that the platforms will not be banned, but they will be required to promote only officially classified accommodation structures.
What does the new Tourism Law require from private hosts?
Individuals with unclassified apartments will no longer be allowed to promote their offers on these international booking portals.
Why are there concerns about access to these platforms being blocked?
Some legal experts fear that if the platforms do not comply with the new regulations, authorities might block user access to them, similar to the situation in Turkey.