[Malaysia] News Article Mention: Penang Bans Homestays After a Year of Deliberation

Our Managing Director Chris Kerin was quoted in an article by WebInTravel (June 1st, 2023), covering the Penang government’s decision to introduce guidelines which seek to limit short-term rentals in the state.

See full article on WebInTravel’s website here.

Speaking to WiT, Chris Kerin, Managing Director of the Asia Travel Technology Industry Association (ATTIA), whose members include Airbnb, said “We are disappointed with this development. It really is a missed opportunity for Penang to be a leading model for short-term rental regulation in the region.”

He added, “We understand the objectives behind the Penang guidelines, and actually agree that some form of regulation is always prudent. However, imposing blanket bans definitely falls on the extreme end of regulation. Without a cost-benefit analysis, it would be hard to justify such a harsh response which risks harming Penang’s tourism recovery.”