According to Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis, the country faces challenges with regard to the increase of second home residents renting their facilities to tourists on the Family Islands.
The Prime Minister made this remark this past Saturday at a press conference upon his arrival into the capital following his trip to the United Nation’s 73rd General Assembly.
He said, “the tourism product is changing. As opposed to hotel rooms, we would have bed and breakfasts and rental facilities.”
He added, “if we do not take charge of that arena now, we will lose the Family Islands.”
The prime minister also shared that he had an interesting and productive discussion with the CEO of AirBnb, Brian Chesky.
Dr. Minnis added that they discussed the challenges with the company that were unique to The Bahamas.
He said, “he had offered that they keep a register of all rental facilities within The Bahamas, and if at any point we introduce any taxation, we can have some type of funds generated from these rental facilities that they would collect and afterwards repatriate the necessary funds.”
The Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson was also in attendance.
The prime minister said that Mr. Thompson will follow this through so that the government can begin collecting funds.
