REGULATING UBER AND AIRBNB What is best for tourism

Posted on 03/03/2016 | About Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia government is studying how best to react to Uber, Airbnb and other “disruptive technologies” without driving away the tourists who have come to rely on them.

Martha Stevens of Tourism Nova Scotia told a legislature committee Wednesday that the government wants to better understand the impact of the sharing economy and how it's handled by other jurisdictions.She said in an interview the government may decide to regulate - but it also may not.She acknowledged there is a tension between the Crown corporation's hospitality industry partners, and tourists who embrace an inexpensive private rental.Nova Scotia is aiming to double tourism-industry revenues from about $2 billion in 2014 to $4 billion by 2024, and Stevens said the government does not want to jeopardize that goal.She said consumers love the new technologies, and they will not be going away.