Airbnb Offers Greater Price Transparency in Europe After Regulatory Threats
Once again — and this time it's the issue of pricing transparency in alternative lodging — European regulators are out in front of their counterparts in other parts of the world, including those in the United States. Travelers shouldn't have to be detectives in trying to figure out what their lodging tab will be.
Following pressure from both the Norwegian Consumer Authority and negotiations with the European Commission, which threatened enforcement action, Airbnb revamped the way it displays property prices in the region so consumers see the total price upfront on the first page of listings when they include their desired dates.
Booking.com in Europe already displays the total price, including occupancy taxes in the initial view of a property listing, while Vrbo in the region merely shows the base rate for one night when the listing first appears.
Airbnb's initial price display for a home in Paris now includes the room rate, cleaning fees, service fees, and local occupancy taxes. Booking.com doesn't charge service fees to guests, but its initial listing view shows the total costs, including the total base rate for the room or home, as well as the VAT and city tax in Paris, for example.
