Penang hoteliers are calling for more consistent regulation of short-term rentals and homestays, as the industry continues to face competition from Airbnb and other private accommodation options. Malaysia Association of Hotels (MAH) vice-president Datuk Khoo Boo Lim said licensed hoteliers had raised concerns over the growing presence of unlicensed homestays, ... Read More

Malaysia’s short-term rental accommodation (STRA) sector – encompassing platforms like Airbnb and similar homestay-style offerings – is on the verge of a major regulatory shift. The government has confirmed that STRA operators will soon be required to obtain a business licence from local councils before registering as official tourist accommodation ... Read More

Penang will need to look at the rules and regulations concerning homestay in private condominiums and high-rise apartments, says state executive councillor Yeoh Soon Hin. Admitting that it is a long-standing issue, Yeoh said there is no problem for the units to be used for short-term homestays if they come with ... Read More

Penang’s tourism recovery and growth, as well as the livelihoods of everyday Malaysian Hosts, would be gravely affected if the state’s proposed restrictions on high-rise residential short-term rental accommodation (STRA) is implemented, Airbnb warned today. Following more than two years of economic disruption in Penang brought on by the pandemic, ... Read More