David Collado: Airbnb regulations will improve tourist safety, not raise taxes

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic is moving forward with plans to regulate Airbnb-style accommodations by creating a national registry designed to improve tourist safety, Tourism Minister David Collado announced.

Collado emphasized that the initiative is intended to organize the country’s growing short-term rental sector and strengthen emergency response, not to impose or manage taxes on Airbnb hosts.

“The tax aspect is handled by the Ministry of Finance and the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII). Our goal is to bring order for security reasons,” the minister said.

According to Collado, the proposed registry will allow the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) to identify Airbnb and other short-term rental properties, know where they are located, and maintain basic information about guests staying in them. The database would help authorities respond more efficiently during emergencies and facilitate communication with foreign embassies when necessary.

“If a tragedy occurs involving a tourist staying in an Airbnb apartment, the embassies come to us. That’s why we need basic information and a more organized tourism sector,” he said.

The announcement comes as the Dominican Republic continues to experience record tourism growth and a steady increase in visitors choosing vacation rentals instead of traditional hotels. Authorities say regulating the sector will improve visitor protection while providing better oversight of accommodations operating throughout the country.

Collado said the Airbnb registry is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the tourism industry. The government is also advancing territorial planning initiatives in major destinations, including Verón-Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, La Romana, Samaná, and Las Terrenas, while promoting new sustainable tourism policies.