Spotlight: Fairbnb

October 26, 2023:

Fairbnb Co-op: A new platform that provides an ethical alternative to Airbnb. It only allows hosts to rent out their principal residence and donates 50 per cent of its service fees to community land trusts (CLTs).
Community land trusts: Non-profit organizations that own and manage land for the benefit of their communities. Many CLTs focus on developing affordable housing that remains permanently accessible. There are around 40 CLTs in Canada.
Airbnb’s impact: Airbnb has removed a significant portion of the housing stock from the market, driving up prices and rents. Many Airbnb hosts operate multiple listings illegally and without licenses. Airbnb has also harmed the liveliness of some neighbourhoods by displacing residents.

August 29, 2023:

Fairbnb: A new online booking engine that aims to tackle the problems of overtourism and the Airbnb effect by promoting community-driven tourism.
How Fairbnb works: The site negotiates with local hosts and organisations to limit the number of listings, prioritise local owners, and fund community projects with half of its commission.
Fairbnb’s impact: The site launched in 2019 in three European cities and has since expanded across the continent and beyond. It hopes to provide an alternative to the mainstream booking sites and foster a more sustainable and equitable model of tourism.

July 28, 2023:

Tourism impact on Welsh communities: The document describes how tourism, especially short-term rentals, has changed the social and economic fabric of some Welsh villages and towns. It mentions the loss of local residents, services, and language due to the influx of visitors and holiday lets.
Fairbnb as a sustainable alternative: The document introduces Fairbnb, a cooperative platform that aims to provide a more ethical and responsible way of hosting and travelling. It explains how Fairbnb works, such as verifying hosts, supporting community projects, and involving residents in decision-making.
Examples of Fairbnb hosts in Wales: The document gives three examples of hosts in Wales who have joined Fairbnb and share their reasons and motivations. They are Rachel Shiamh, who offers an off-grid eco-home in Pembrokeshire; Llety Arall, a hostel run by a community benefit society in Caernarfon; and Menna Machreth, an ambassador for Fairbnb in Gwynedd.

March 28, 2023:

Fairbnb is a new holiday rental platform that is co-operatively owned and aims to promote sustainable tourism while supporting local communities. The platform prioritizes community needs over profit, and users have a say in how it operates. Fairbnb addresses concerns raised by campaigners about other rental platforms like Airbnb by supporting local initiatives and directing half of its net platform standard commissions to social projects or charities in the community.
The growth of the short-term rental market in the UK has sparked concerns about its impact on local communities. Fairbnb aims to address these concerns by creating a community of hosts and guests who care about making a positive impact on the world. By directing half of its net platform standard commissions to social projects or charities in the community, Fairbnb is able to support local initiatives and promote sustainable tourism.
The launch of Fairbnb in the UK is a significant moment for the platform, as it expands its reach to a new region and offers a new way for travelers to support local communities. By prioritizing community needs over profit and supporting local initiatives, Fairbnb is able to promote sustainable tourism and support local communities in a way that other rental platforms have not been able to do.

March 7, 2023

Fairbnb.coop: A rival to Airbnb that aims to tackle over-tourism and fund local projects. It adds a 15 per cent commission, half of which goes to selected local charities and projects.
Local nodes: Residents who decide how much tourism an area can handle and what rules to apply. They also choose the social projects to support with the commission.
Tourism problems: Tourism can have negative impacts on housing, environment, culture and public services. The document gives examples of places like Cornwall, Venice and Edinburgh that suffer from over-tourism.
Tourism solutions: Fairbnb.coop hopes to provide a grassroots solution that redistributes the resources generated by tourism and makes it more sustainable and ethical. It also partners with the Big Issue Foundation and the #BigFutures campaign.

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Fairbnb.coop to launch global initiative for refugees in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine

Urbana Humano, March 20, 2022:

Fairbnb.coop initiative for refugees: A cooperative digital platform that offers solidarity and community-based accommodation solutions. It is launching a global initiative to help refugees in response to the crisis in Ukraine.
How the initiative works: Fairbnb.coop invites hosts, local governments and organizations to list their houses or request more info at fairbnb.coop/refugees. The platform will be used by NGOs and humanitarian organizations to find volunteers that can host refugees temporarily, safely and respectfully.
Long term vision: Fairbnb.coop aims to provide a housing solution for refugees from all over the world, without discrimination. It also supports local language schools and other projects to facilitate the resettlement process. It hopes to build opportunities for cooperation and peace.

December 3, 2021

Fairbnb’s platform: A group that advocated for regulating short-term rentals in Toronto is launching its own home-sharing platform called Fairbnb. It will use the same technology as Airbnb but will support affordable housing in the city.
CMHC’s grant: Fairbnb received a $132,710 grant from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) to start its platform. It will initially focus on downtown Toronto and will partner with local community organizations.
Ethical home-sharing: Fairbnb will donate 50 per cent of its booking fees to the Kensington Market Land Trust, a non-profit that aims to preserve and create affordable housing in the neighbourhood. It will also limit hosts to one listing and require them to live on the property.

July 22, 2021:

Fairbnb.coop: A new house-sharing platform that aims to create a fair and sustainable tourism model by connecting local hosts, travellers and communities.
Local impact: Fairbnb.coop ensures that hosts are real residents who follow the housing laws and have only one listing. It also reinvests half of its profits into social projects in low-income areas.
Cooperative structure: Fairbnb.coop is owned and managed by its users, including hosts, travellers, local ambassadors and workers. It fosters transparency, accountability and participation.
Growth and challenges: Fairbnb.coop launched in 2019 and expanded to nine cities across Europe, with more to come. It faced the Covid crisis but remained optimistic about the future of tourism.

November 13, 2019:

Fairbnb.coop: A rival to Airbnb that aims to tackle over-tourism and fund local projects. It adds a 15 per cent commission, half of which goes to selected local charities and projects.
Local nodes: Residents who decide how much tourism an area can handle and what rules to apply. They also choose the social projects to support with the commission.
Tourism problems: Tourism can have negative impacts on local communities, such as rising rents, loss of services, overcrowding and environmental damage. Some places are on a “no list” of regions to avoid.
Tourism solutions: Fairbnb.coop hopes to provide a grassroots solution that redistributes the benefits of tourism and empowers local communities. It also partners with the Big Issue Foundation and supports the #BigFutures campaign.

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Fairbnb Aims for Ethical Home-Sharing

US News, August 9, 2019:

Fairbnb: A new vacation rental platform that aims to be a community-centred alternative to Airbnb. It promises to be fair, transparent and abide by all local regulations.
Airbnb: A popular short-term rental company that has been accused of exacerbating the urban housing crisis and gentrification. It allows hosts to market multiple properties and often operates in places with lax or no regulation.
Differences and impacts: Fairbnb only allows hosts to list one property at a time and donates 50% of its commissions to a community project. It also consults with neighbors and experts to set rules for rentals. It claims to have a positive impact on the cities where it operates, while Airbnb is seen as a nuisance and a threat by many residents and governments.

December 6, 2018:

Fairbnb: A new vacation rental platform that aims to be a community-centred and ethical alternative to Airbnb. It promises to be fair, transparent and abide by all local regulations.
Airbnb’s problems: Airbnb has been accused of exacerbating the urban housing crisis and causing touristification in many cities. It allows investors to buy up properties, evict tenants and convert them into permanent Airbnb rentals, reducing the housing supply and driving up prices.
Fairbnb’s solutions: Fairbnb runs on a “One host, one home” policy that limits each host to one property at a time. It also donates 50% of its commissions to a community project of the traveler’s choosing. It consults with neighbors and experts to set rules for rentals and respects the local laws.