- The challenge of overseeing the rapid growth in short-term rentals
Regulating so-called short-income accommodation or holiday rentals in this country needs to be addressed urgently. The reason is simple. The unchecked growth and lack of taxation pose a latent threat to the Dominican tourism industry, after six decades of joint effort by the public and private sectors. This is especially true for the national hotel industry, subject to constant supervision and taxation that affects not only companies, but also their employees, while simultaneously providing them with social security benefits.
An investigation carried out by Diario Libre in May 2026 revealed that “short-stay properties were around 56,973 at the end of 2025 and that rooms amounted to 136,338 at the end of 2024″, while hotel units were 94,309 at the end of 2025.
The article in question pointed out that the boom of this model has happened “in a context lacking regulation, registration, taxation and security”.
Penned by the journalist Irmgard De la Cruz, on July 22, Diario Libre published the information that “Airbnb supported the regulation of short-stay vacation rentals.” The article stated that Airbnb “considered the creation of a registry that promotes transparency and security as beneficial…” “fostering an inclusive, proportionate environment free of excessive bureaucratic burdens”, and advocated that the regulatory framework be approved through the National Congress.
Airbnb’s statement is interesting for more than one reason. Promoting transparency and security implies an acknowledgment that the existing system is, at the very least, insufficient. That it is through the National Congress seems appropriate to us, since a law represents a more legally sound instrument and, consequently, offers greater legal certainty than a resolution issued by MITUR.
The Dominican Association of Short Incomes (Adoreco), by merely existing, shows how vigorous the short-income sector is, its desire to establish a cohesive defense and to participate in the process, and we welcome all that. The latest statement from the association, published by the newspaper HOY on August 5, is equally revealing, indicating, among other things, “that short-term rental regulation must be reviewed with the same logic as traditional hotel activity. It also states that “it could also impose obligations, administrative burdens and procedures that are not appropriate to the nature of this activity or to the diversity of actors comprising it, from the small host to the professional operator.”
The nature of the activity is pure and simple lodging and whether it is operated by a citizen looking for an additional income (small host is an understatement) or a professional operator is not far from the argument of an independent hotel vs. an international chain. For example, I don’t think that the Billini Hotel has ever thought of asking for a different operating or fiscal regime to that of the Kimpton Las Mercedes, simply because one is an independent hotel, and the other is managed by a hotel chain. Dura lex, sed lex (the law is harsh, but it is the law). Moreover, so-called “loopholes” and “for legal certainty” we believe are arguments worth considering.
In short, the Dominican Republic has made progress in modernizing its hotel sector and improving air connectivity, but it has a blind spot that is getting bigger every year, the tens of thousands of short-rent units that operate outside the official data systems. A destination that cannot accurately measure its own accommodation supply has a structural disadvantage at the negotiating table, both with airlines and investors. It’s time to grab the bull by the horns!
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