Re: “Hoteliers cheer rental clampdown,” Sept. 23.
I imagine local hoteliers are celebrating, after Victoria city council announced its new rules for short-term rental units. Just have a look at any booking website and you will see why.
Downtown Victoria hotels commonly advertise prices between $250 and $330 a night. How many couples or families would be willing to spend that kind of money for perhaps a week-long visit to Victoria?
Add all the other expenses, and a trip becomes unaffordable for all except those on expense accounts or members of the one per cent. Downtown Vancouver is far worse.
Alternatives to hotels have filled a need in this city. Not everyone wants the hotel experience. Having access to a kitchen or a breakfast included, as in a B&B, allows a variety of travel experiences and encourages more people to spend money on other activities.
I suspect there will be some unintended consequences of such new regulations. Few “affordable” apartments will appear once these high-end short-term rentals become long-term rentals.
Jill Howard
Victoria