Airbnb Legislation Likely In Annapolis; Quantifying Lost Taxes From Airbnb A Challenge

OCEAN CITY — Resort tourism officials this week continued the debate on the potential impact of Airbnb and the likelihood many of the 300-plus listings in town are not remitting the requisite room tax.

In July, the Tourism Committee attempted to gain a better understanding of the impact of Airbnb and similar companies that provide an online platform for connecting visitors to accommodations in the resort. Airbnb and other Internet sites enable property owners to rent homes, apartments and even single rooms to visitors searching online for accommodations by bypassing the traditional rental companies.

On Monday, the Tourism Committee renewed the debate, which ended with seemingly more questions than answers. What appears to be clear, however, is the online vacation rental property is here to stay with over 300 listings in Ocean City as of Thursday, from a lavish beachfront condo at over $1,100 a night to a modest bayside block studio apartment at just $50. The average price for the 300 or so properties listed in Ocean City was $256 per night.

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