Malaysia to Tighten Rules for Short-Term Rental Operators Short-term rental accommodation (STRA) providers in Malaysia—covering platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and other short-stay operators—will soon be required to obtain a business licence from their local authority before registering as tourist accommodation premises. Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing confirmed that...
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Malaysia’s Short-Term Rental Sector to Get Nationwide Framework Malaysia’s short-term rental market—covering platforms like Airbnb and other Short-Term Residential Accommodation (STRA) services—is set for its first nationwide framework. Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan announced that draft STRA guidelines, developed by the Housing and Local Government Ministry...
Airbnb’s RM9.2 Billion Impact on Malaysia: A Wake-Up Call for KL Property Investors Malaysia’s real estate landscape is shifting—and it’s not just because of infrastructure or government policy. A new report by Oxford Economics, commissioned by Airbnb, reveals that short-term rental activity contributed RM9.2 billion to Malaysia’s GDP in 2024, accounting for 5% of the tourism sector’s total...
Airbnb Urges Fair Regulations for Malaysia’s Growing Short-Term Rental Accommodation Industry Malaysia’s short-term rental accommodation (STRA) industry needs fair and balanced regulations to sustain its growth while addressing concerns from traditional hotel operators, according to Airbnb. The platform’s Asia-Pacific public policy director, Mich Goh, emphasized the importance of regulatory clarity...
In its ongoing commitment to promote responsible short-term rental activities (STRA) in Malaysia, Airbnb has unveiled its Guide to Responsible Hosting in Buildings. This initiative aims to provide comprehensive resources for strata hosts, property managers, joint management bodies (JMB), management corporations (MC), and developers to manage short-term rentals responsibly in apartment buildings and...
In a series of videos shared on TikTok by user @handsomecool666, numerous guests were seen unable to check in to their apartment units, waiting near the condominium's entrance and guardhouse. The situation arose as the condominium management had recently implemented a ban on short-term rental accommodations, catching many guests by surprise. In one video, guests were shown waiting outside the condominium...
In a significant development, Airbnb, a prominent player in the vacation rentals and tourism sector, has joined hands with the Town and Country Planning Department (PLANMalaysia) to establish a unified set of guidelines for short-term rental accommodation (STRA) across Malaysia. This strategic collaboration marks a crucial step toward ensuring the structured growth of the short-term rental industry in the...
Penang, a popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, has taken a bold step by becoming the first state in Malaysia to impose a ban on short-term holiday rentals, including Airbnb and similar platforms. This move, aimed at tackling issues related to the behavior of tourists, is part of a wider trend seen in various global cities. Initially announced on May 30, the ban was introduced to address concerns...
It has now dawned on tourists of Penang that the state authorities have imposed a ban on almost all types of short-stay accommodation. This came into force on May 25. “Housing premises, be it in the form of landed properties (housing estates) or strata (high rise) properties, are not allowed to operate as short-term rental (STR) accommodation,” Penang mayor Rajendran Antony said in a...
Is short-term rental accommodation (STRA) a feasible answer to the nation's rental and property excess concerns? Turning unused property into STRA may offer homeowners a viable option to generate supplemental income to cover their monthly mortgage expenses, despite it possibly causing inconvenience for other unit owners, suggests Albert Tan, a financial adviser with expertise in real estate dealings. Tan...