9 / 24
2017
|
2018 HOTREC ANNUAL REPORT
|
9
‘Collaborative’ or ‘Sharing’ economy activities are about to lose their
often falsely perceived perception of a new type of economy based on
altruism and full of societal benefits. More and more it becomes clear that,
everywhere, where business can be made, business will be made.
Over the past years, HOTREC followed very closely the developments
around the so-called ‘collaborative’ economy, and has put forward concrete
proposals for bringing more balance in newly developed markets, where
actors are playing the same game, but according to different rules.
HOTREC recommendations are shared by an increasing
number of public authorities and are being implemented
In 2017, HOTREC policy paper and its 5 key pillars for a responsible
collaborative economy were broadly listened to and quoted by different
stakeholders in various EU discussions, as the growing business
characteristics behind this ‘new’ economy is more and more recognised.
Moreover, two studies from the European Commission confirmed
HOTREC’s message to EU policy makers that multi-property owners and
regular renting of properties are representing a non-negligible share of the
market. As the professionalisation of the ‘collaborative’ economy is steadily
ongoing, HOTREC’s recommendations (e.g. registration of the activities
and fair taxation) are being mirrored in the regulatory developments of an
increasing number of local/regional or national authorities, thanks to the
active interventions of HOTREC’s Member Associations.
Tackling a new facet of the ‘collaborative’ economy: the
growing number of private home restaurants
HOTREC and its Members are also increasingly confronted with the
growing phenomenon in many cities across Europe, where private
individuals organise private home-restaurants, often ‘sharing’ a dinner
against a substantial price. European restaurant businesses, which have
to follow strict food safety and hygiene rules in order to ensure the health
of guests and also to comply with fiscal obligations, are more and more
facing unfair competition by these new food business operators which
often work in the grey area.
In order to get a picture of themarket and to put forward recommendations
to policy makers, HOTREC has been developing a publication about the
‘meal-sharing’ market, and a way forward to level the playing field with
the food sector. This document shall help HOTREC Members as well as
policy makers having a better awareness of the developments around
the continuously expanding home-restaurants. Thus, besides tackling the
challenges presented by short term accommodation rentals, HOTREC is
also bringing clarity and fairness to both businesses and consumers on
the ever increasing market around ‘meal-sharing’.
‘Collaborative’ economy steadily integrated
in ‘real’ economy
Policy makers start bring-
ing so-called ‘collaborative’
type of business activities
on a similar footage with
regular business activities, as
advocated by HOTREC.