Twenty-six hotels from all over France, of all types, jointly assign the Airbnb rental platform. They attack the American multinational by pointing out its non-compliance with regulations. Among the complainants, a hotelier from Gard, based in Saint-Laurent-d’Aigouze for 30 years.
“There are so many things to say…” Eric Bouget, manager of a hotel in Petite Camargue, is one of the 26 hoteliers who decided to take Airbnb to court. Supported by the UMIH, they announced on Thursday June 20 that they were attacking the American company for unfair competition. “We are not against Airbnb, we just want them to follow the regulations”, explains the Gardois. The trial is scheduled for September 6, 2024, at the Lisieux commercial court (Normandy).
If they are asking for 9.2 million euros in damages, with this trial, they are above all hoping for stronger supervision of the platform. Hoteliers denounce a non-compliance with several rules. Starting with the payment of the tourist tax. “Airbnb does not collect, declare or pay tourist tax“, asserts Eric Bouget, hotelier and president of the UMIH du Gard. There are also all the standards to which he is constrained, unlike the rental giant.
In my hotel, for example, I have a swimming pool. I am checked for this by the ARS. This is not the case for Airbnb accommodations. I also have to respect disabled access, fire safety, licenses to sell alcohol… They don’t.
Eric Bouget, manager of the Lou Garbin hotel
The plaintiffs also point to the fact that Airbnb does not display not the registration numbers of the municipalities subject to this obligation, that there is no deletion of advertisements more than 120 days old for main residences. Or even that the platform East “responsible for illegal advertisements published on its platform, in violation of applicable regulations (tourism, construction and housing code or even town planning code)“.
In Saint-Laurent-d’Aigouze, in the Gard, there are around a hundred Airbnb accommodations available around Eric Bouget’s hotel. “Everyone is doing Airbnb now, he sighs. On June 20, I only had three rooms reserved. A few years ago, it was more than double at this time. Obviously, they pay less charges, so their prices are lower.”
Around a hundred accommodations available in Saint-Laurent-d’Aigouze.
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© Screenshot of Airbnb website
“I have been managing this hotel for 30 years. It was my father who opened it in 1962. I would also like to pass it on to my son, that’s my goal”, explains Eric Bouget. An objective which seems compromised if the Airbnb platform is not more supervised. “I repeat, we are not against its existence, but this is unfair competition.“
