Main image via The Runaway Guide
Since its launch in 2008, Airbnb has revolutionised the travel industry. Not just for travellers, but for property owners as well.
For the first time ever, there was a platform dedicated to helping homeowners rent out their unused space and for travellers to gain a one-of-a-kind stay experience when travelling to a foreign country. When talking about authentic local experiences, nothing can beat living the way the locals do.
Image via Hub Japan
But all of that might soon change if you plan on travelling to Japan.
You’ll still find listings on Airbnb of course. They’re not pulling out of the country, but finding that perfect place to stay may just get more difficult. That’s because Airbnb has just recently stopped displaying listings from hosts that had not obtained permission to operate in advance of a home-sharing law known as minpaku, which takes effect on 15 June 2018.
To give you an idea on how many properties has been affected by this removal, the number of properties in Japan on the Airbnb platform has plummeted from more than 62,000 properties to about 13,800 properties.
via GIPHY
So, if you’re planning on an Airbnb stay in Japan anytime soon, you’ll want to start booking in advance.
Read more about it here.