A former Prime
Minister of England once observed that getting a good outcome from a new tax is
a lot like standing in a bucket and trying to lift yourself up by the handle.
The
current debate over whether Air BnB homeowners should be regarded as commercial
players in the tourism industry and rated accordingly highlights some
interesting issues and wonderful euphemisms. “A level playing field” is
demanded by commercial operators who seek to eliminate the so called unfair
advantage of the poor old house holder who seeks to utilize a spare bedroom in their
biggest asset.
Level playing fields don’t exist despite the plaintive cry from
those who already are bigger, stronger, faster, wealthier but who really want
the field to themselves. We are asked to forget that size and scale matters and
that purchasing power by major players in the accommodation industry really
does give them significant advantage. The hotel and motel chains however cannot
trump the personalized single unit home stay available for travellers looking
for the real Kiwi people and experience, not to mention individualized interaction
and service.
