After an abrupt drop reported in March and April in consumer interactions associated with vacation properties, since the beginning of May in all markets of the region interest in this topic has rebounded.
Through a system that monitors changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries in real time, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for the different products, sectors and markets that operate in the region.
The growing tendency to lease rather than buy, not only real estate and cars, but also services and products, is forcing traditional companies to reinvent themselves completely, not to be left out of the new digital and collaborative economy.
Although in Central America this trend is not yet as marked as in other regions of the world, companies that want to prevail in the future must pre-empt it and begin to redefine their long-term strategies, considering these changes that while leading the new generations, are not alien to other age segments of the population.
Already more than 1000 homes are available to rent through the web platform Airbnb, and most of them are centered around the Pacific coast.
The increasing supply of houses and apartments available for short stays is forcing hotels to change their methods of attracting guests in order to survive.In the case of Nicaragua, where the hotel supply is relatively nascent and not as developed as in other neighboring markets, the efforts that businesses in the tourism sector have to make to compete with Airbnb is even greater.
In Costa Rica the total amount of accommodation available for rent through the web platform Airbnb is now equivalent to 18% of the hotels in the country.
The figure has been confirmed by the union of hoteliers, who say there is now a total of 11,000 homes offering accommodation for tourism through Airbnb.On top of this data there are also residences rented to tourists through other platforms such as Homeaway or VRBO.
Accepting that Uber, Airbnb and crowfunding are here to stay, the National Markets and Competition Commission of Spain is in favor of reducing requirements for traditional operators and not adding any new regulations for incoming competitors.
EDITORIAL
The incursion of digital platforms that connect users through collaborative schemes has invaded economies and made life easier for users, but has caused complications for governments whose laws are one step behind the progress being made in markets.
People with kidney failure can now travel normally, covered by a coalition of companies united by the concepts of a sharing economy.
EDITORIAL
The best demonstration of the advantages that exist today because of the unstoppable "sharing economy" is the association of global companies Uber and Airbnb with 0a Uruguayan startup, Connectus Medical, to help solve the problem of the travel needs of people who need regular hemodialysis treatment.
The twin sister of an old concept of cooperatives which today enemies of capital want to reinvigorate, the ultramodern collaboratively economy creates value by using the internet through more efficient use of available resources.
EDITORIAL
"Sharing Economy", collaborative markets. Descriptions in different languages of a phenomenon that takes on proper names when applied to the efficient utilization of individual means of transport, such as UBER, availability of accommodations to suit every traveler such as Air BnB, and other quick and transparent communication systems between supply and demand which are revolutionizing global trade, especially in services.
Although major hotel brands claim not to be affected, the growing supply of houses and apartments for short stays, is forcing hotels to change their methods of attracting guests in order to survive.
Airbnb, VRBO and Homeaway are just some of the countless websites where owners rent their houses or apartments to tourists, who increasingly opt for this alternative to conventional hotels worldwide, and Central America is no exception.
Hoteliers have denounced the unfair competition and are demanding that regulations and monitoring be put in place for rental housing for tourism on the coasts.
The hotels in the beaches of San Juan del Sur are the most affected by the boom taking hold in rental housing for tourists, an activity on which taxes are not paid and no regulation must be followed.
The trend of renting out non-hotel accommodation for a few days is global, and it will grow even more in the next 5 years, so regulating it will be a better solution than banning it.
In Central America Panama is the country where the phenomenon of Holiday Rentals shows the highest growth, despite a law prohibiting it. According to an article in Prensa.com, the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) "...
Tourists are renting more and more houses for leisure purposes, competing strongly with the traditional hotel industry.
Vacation rental is defined as the renting of villas, houses, apartments or country estates for a few days or weeks, and is growing fast around the world. Central America is no exception to this phenomenon, which suits especially families or small groups.