Spot checks to be carried out on Airbnb rentals during summer festivals

Tourism Flanders will carry out spot checks this summer on people who rent their house or garden to festival-goers near the sites of major festivals such as Pukkelpop or Tomorrowland, Mediahuis group newspapers reported on Friday.

Many people are temporarily offering accommodation on Airbnb, especially during Tomorrowland in Boom, Antwerp province. One resident is renting out six tents in their garden for 200 euros each per night, while a three-bedroom house is being offered for 2,800 euros for the three nights of the festival.

“Anyone offering accommodation for payment on a booking platform is obliged to register it with Tourism Flanders,” says Geert Martin of the tourism agency. This obligation is intended to ensure the safety of the people renting the accommodation. Anyone who fails to register their accommodation or is not in compliance with fire safety regulations risks being fined or shut down.

Since the decree on accommodation came into force in 2017, Tourism Flanders has inspected more than 6,000 lodgings, issuing two fines and 111 cessation orders.

^{#FlandersNewsService | The Tomorrowland festival in Boom, Antwerp province © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS}