FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 5, 2021 – The issue of whether short-term rentals through services like Airbnb and VRBO are good for neighborhoods and the community has arrived in Lafayette. Lafayette Tourism Lodging Association (LTLA)—formed in 2020 to support best practices in short-term rentals—fully believes there is a valuable place for these types of properties in our local economy.
Short-term rentals have existed in Lafayette since 2012, and there are currently about 300 active rentals, according to site Air DNA. About one-third of those are owner-occupied, meaning that the owner lives on the property. The incentive to invest in and constantly improve short-term rental properties is high due to competition and visitor reviews.
Many cities, from Dallas, TX, to New Orleans, LA, have had to regulate their short-term rental industries to accommodate both neighbors and owners. LTLA fully supports the integration of short-term rentals within Lafayette’s neighborhoods and believes there’s a place for both long- and short-term rentals, along with residential homeowners, in our city.
In the eight years that short-term rentals have existed in Lafayette, the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission (of which LTLA is a member) has never received a complaint. The city Planning Commission has received only two complaints since 2012. Short-term rental owners are subject to the same noise, nuisance and parking regulations as long-term rentals, with the added value of hosts living on the property or nearby.
Airbnb collects and remits occupancy taxes on behalf of hosts in Louisiana as of Oct. 2018. LTLA estimates that this tax generates about $2.7 million a year in hotel taxes for Lafayette Parish. There’s no denying short-term rentals’ impact on Lafayette’s economy and tourism industry. Top cities for guests traveling to Lafayette include drive markets like New Orleans, Houston, Austin and Baton Rouge, in addition to Paris, Montreal and London. An estimated 69 percent of Lafayette’s rentals are entire homes, which attract multi-generational families to our restaurants, shops and tourist attractions. Research has shown that these types of guests spend more dollars in local communities like ours.
“Lafayette’s short-term rental properties give travelers a more personal and cultural option for visiting our area,” says John Pastor, co-founder of LTLA and owner of Duchess Downtown. “Airbnbs immerse visitors in the local culture through neighborhood locations, restaurant and attraction recommendations and even bikes provided to encourage exploration of the area. Many hosts greet their guests personally and are able to respond to problems or complaints immediately. We feel that we provide an added value to the community overall, but especially Acadiana tourism, which is a huge part of our local economy. Providing an exceptional experience for our guests is something we are passionate about, and we are committed to working together to promote tourism and maintain the integrity of our respective neighborhoods.”
Lafayette Tourism Lodging Association is made up of a group of local short-term rental and property owners that contribute to the tourism, culture and joie de vivre of the hospitality industry in Lafayette. LTLA works to establish best practices among local short-term rental owners, address neighborhood complaints and bring owners together for discussion and accountability. Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/LafayetteTLA/.
