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Top Easter season destinations for US travelers revealed

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Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom are among the most popular destinations for travelers in the U.S.1 this Easter period, according to analysis conducted by travel experts.

As of 7 April 2019, more than 95,000 advanced bookings had been made2 in the U.S. through all global distribution systems (GDS) for return flights to Mexico scheduled between 16 April and 22 April 2019. Flight bookings to second placed Canada and third placed U.K stood at 44,975 and 32,515, respectively.

Amongst the top 10 most popular destinations, the ones which had seen the greatest year-on-year increase in Easter flight bookings were Spain, up 33.6% (+4615 bookings in 2018), Canada, up 25.7% (+9198 bookings in 2018) and a close third, Puerto Rico, up 25.6% (+4279 bookings in 2018).

Global distribution systems (GDS) are vast hi-tech reservation networks that allow travel agents, travel management companies and large corporations, among others, to search and book airline seats, hotel rooms, rental cars, and other travel related items.

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“Mexico remains by far the most attractive destination in terms of volume, for travelers in the U.S. over the Easter period. A big reason for this is the proximity and great weather all-year round. The proximity, and some great tourist attractions land Canada at the second place. Breathtaking festive celebrations and shopping sales in U.K, boosted by affordable flight options, definitely make it a top destination.

Top Easter season destinations for travelers in Spain booked through global distribution systems

Destination Flight Bookings

Mexico 96,451
Canada 44,975
United Kingdom 32,515
Dominican Republic 32,229
Italy 25,311
China 24,636
Puerto Rico 21,008
France 20,780
Jamaica 19,215
Spain 18,369

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National child safety advocate calls for ban on Airbnb hidden cameras

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National child safety advocacy group, Stop Child Predators, called on state and local government leaders in the U.S. today to ban hidden cameras in Airbnbs and other short-term rentals, and enact regulations and criminal penalties for violators. The group says enough is enough after a string of recent news stories regarding hidden cameras found in Airbnbs, including a story last week of a mother and young daughter potentially being filmed undressing.

“Week after week Airbnb finds themselves the subject of yet another hidden camera nightmare. These horrific accounts from Airbnb guests demonstrate how unsettling it is for guests that find themselves being filmed without their knowledge or consent – a scenario especially frightening for those traveling with children,” said Stacie Rumenap, President of Stop Child Predators. “Airbnb is allowing families to become sitting ducks for potentially predatory hosts who exploit guests by filming them and their children for personal viewing, or even wider audiences on the web.”

Rumenap points to a series of recent news stories involving hidden cameras discovered in Airbnbs and says the occurrence of incidents is on the rise.

• “Airbnb Has A Hidden-Camera Problem” (The Atlantic, 3/26/19)
• “They Were Settling Into Their Airbnb. Then They Found A Hidden Camera” (The Washington Post, 4/6/2019)
• “California Couple Finds Hidden Camera Above Bed At Airbnb Rental” (ABC News Channel 7, 3/29/19)
• “Man Discovers Hidden Cameras Inside Of Miami Airbnb” (WTNH News, 1/21/19)
• “At An Airbnb? You Might Be On Camera, Whether You Like It Or Not” (NBC News, 3/7/19)

“Airbnb already poses a problem for parents by allowing strangers, and even potential sex-offenders, into short-term rentals in residential family neighborhoods. With a revolving door of strangers coming and going from short-term rental properties, tools like sex offender lists are becoming obsolete as there is no safeguard in place to stop a child predator from renting an Airbnb property next door. Now, parents need to consider the added stress of worrying that their children may be filmed and exploited while staying inside an Airbnb on vacation,” stated Rumenap.

Stop Child Predators urges government leaders, especially in states and localities with major tourism destinations, to step in and protect traveling families whose privacy and safety should be safeguarded while vacationing in their jurisdiction.”

“Airbnb’s inability to manage the users, and abusers, of their platform is unacceptable. It’s time for government leaders to step in to protect our children,” stated Rumenap.

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Gavel slams: Airbnb not eligible for privileged tax treatment

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A report released on behalf of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) calls on state and local government leaders to reject Airbnb’s future pursuit of voluntary collection agreements (VCAs) and look to the Wayfair decision as a pathway to cancel current VCA agreements and bring Airbnb up to code with current industry tax standards and regulations.

AHLA released a new report on National Tax Day, conducted by former Director of the Montana Revenue Department Dan Bucks, which clearly demonstrates why the Supreme Court’s Wayfair vs. South Dakota decision last year eliminates the need for state and localities to enter into “voluntary collection agreements” (VCAs) with Airbnb and provides the legal framework and incentive to tax Airbnb like every other U.S. online business now.

“Airbnb no longer qualifies—if it ever did—for privileged treatment by tax agencies as a ‘voluntary collector,’” states Bucks in the report. “This treatment gives Airbnb an unfair advantage in the marketplace by creating a tax and regulatory haven for Airbnb lodging operators. Post-Wayfair, Airbnb’s “voluntary agreements” are now a relic of a past legal premise that no longer exists.”

Bucks urges government leaders to begin the process of terminating existing “voluntary” tax agreements with Airbnb in coordination with state adoption of “general marketplace provider” legislation. Bucks went on to say that disparities between the tax treatment of Airbnb and other online businesses pose a legal risk to states and localities.

“Airbnb has been making back-room deals and strong-arming state and local jurisdictions into ‘voluntary’ tax deals with no transparency, oversight or auditing capability for years,” stated Chip Rogers, President and CEO at AHLA. “Airbnb, and other short term rental platforms need to abide by the same rules as all other law-abiding, tax-paying businesses in the industry.”

AHLA urges state and local government leaders to terminate Airbnb’s voluntary tax deals and instead institute a tax policy that will collect taxes from Airbnb and its operators to ensure an even playing field and transparency for taxpayers. In San Francisco, home of Airbnb’s corporate headquarters, the company agreed to pay back taxes and collect city taxes from its hosts.  AHLA urges other states and localities to follow suit.

“Airbnb’s secret tax agreements are hurting communities across America by shortchanging their schools, infrastructure, and other public services” stated Rogers. “Airbnb’s special treatment needs to end.”

The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) is the singular voice representing every segment of the hotel industry including major chains, independent hotels, management companies, REIT’s, bed and breakfasts, industry partners and more.

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Spain-Holiday.com has new owners

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The Spanish holiday rental platform, Spain-Holiday.com, has new owners from the 1st of April. The company’s founder and sole owner until the end of March, Claus Sorensen, will be sharing ownership in equal conditions with Jan Dal Lehrmann, Kenneth Andersen and Jannich Friis Petersen.

  • Jan Dal Lehrmann, Kenneth Andersen and Jannich Friis Petersen have become the new co-owners of the holiday rental platform together with Claus Sorensen, founder and former sole owner, owning 25% shares each.
  • This ownership change will strengthen the activity of Spain-Holiday.com in the Spanish holiday rental industry thanks to the input and knowledge provided by the new co-owners: experience in digital businesses, unique know-how and strategic vision.

For Claus Sorensen this is a step “that will strengthen Spain-Holiday.com’s ability to set a strategy for strong performance in the coming years. With the incorporation of Jan, Kenneth and Jannich to the company we will be able to strengthen our brand value and attribution in Spain and we’ll have the opportunity to develop a more ambitious expansion plan”.

Each one of the new owners provides an important professional value to the management of the company and share the same objective of achieving the long term goals planned for Spain-Holiday.com. The four of them add up many years of experience in managing online businesses in Europe, the knowledge of developing niche and new markets and the development of B2B-B2C strategies.

The new owners of Spain-Holiday.com

Jannich Friis Petersen is 45 years old and is the current CEO for Spain-Holiday.com and with this acquisition, he states that “I have defined even more my commitment and dedication to this company that now has even more potential to offer the best holiday homes in Spain for European travellers. We’ll live exciting years in the holiday rental industry and Spain-Holiday.com will make a landmark”.

Jan Dal Lehrmann is 50 years old and has, after successful exits of Bilbasen (Co-founder) and Benjamin Media (Investor and CEO) devoted the past 8 years of his life to investing in startups, helping them with everything from common sense, strategy, scaling and internationalization via an active non-executive role. Previous investments and exits include Bilbasen, Autobutler, Bazoom and Benjamin Media. For Jan, “the potential of Spain-Holiday.com attracted me since the first time I spoke to Claus and I am sure that we will take the company to the next level”.

Kenneth Andersen is 47 years old and founder and owner of several online businesses, having a portfolio of more than 50 websites. Former Head of motors in eBay Classifieds Northern Europe and CEO of Bilbasen.dk, the leading motors vertical in Denmark. Has been working with building digital business since 1999, both as CEO and investor. Has been a member of the board in Spain-Holiday.com since 2017.

Claus Sorensen is the founder of Spain-Holiday.com and, until the end of March, its sole owner. Currently, he owns 25% of the company and since 2018 he has been developing other new projects in Denmark and Spain.

This change will not affect the normal activity of Spain-Holiday.com, which has its headquarters in Malaga (Spain) since 2002 and has 35 employees. Now, the four owners of Spain-Holiday.com will focus on providing the platform user with a unique experience when renting out or booking a holiday home in Spain, consolidating its activity in the tourism industry and setting up future expansion plans.

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