Published Oct 17, 2021 • Last updated Oct 18, 2021 • 2 minute read
Article:
Canmore RCMP have identified a website called www.estatepartnersgroup.com as fraudulent, after they investigated multiple complaints of false advertised rental properties in Canmore.
Cpl. Shane Fletcher with Canmore RCMP Detachment said once victims are contacted, they are sent documents to complete falsified lease agreements, and asked for background check requests that appear legitimate. Upon receipt of these documents, victims were asked to e-transfer, which may or may not include a damage deposit, and then the victims are not contacted again once the funds have been transferred,” said Fletcher.
One man, Benjamin Mawdsley, who recently fell victim to the online scammers said he and his girlfriend posted an ad on a few Bow Valley Facebook groups saying they were looking for accommodations.
“A woman then contacted me on Facebook a few days later saying they had a two bedroom apartment at in Silver Creek. Upon telling her that the price was way out of our budget, they said one of the rooms in the unit was already taken and that we only had to pay half the amount. They then providing several beautiful photos, we thought we had won the lottery,” said Mawdsley. Desperate to find a place, and super keen about on the offer, Mawdsley replied with an email saying he was interested.
“At 2 a.m. we received an email response from service@estatepartnersgroup.com asking us for copies of passports and background checks. Which we then sent.”
The victim said he thought it was weird when the ‘Offer to Lease’ and ‘Residential Lease’ was full of grammatical errors, and the only contact information provided by the landlord was an email address.
“What concerns me the most is that I have seen this person like and comment on many other peoples’ posts in several other groups on Facebook. People who are in the same boat as me, just trying to find a place to live. Not only that, it hurts the community,” said Mawdsley.
The RCMP are strongly urging the public to conduct thorough due diligence when using this website, and other rental websites, in order to confirm that these are legitimate properties for rent. Rental scams impact real people, real families, and real communities — especially in tight markets like Canmore. When listings are misrepresented or ownership isn’t clear, trust breaks down fast. Staying informed, verifying ownership, and using platforms that check both guests and hosts helps protect everyone.
If you want safer rentals, clearer compliance, and verified stays, you can learn more here: Better Guests
The rental industry has moved almost entirely online in recent years, and while it may be much more convenient to find a place to rent, this rapid digitalization has also led to a sudden jump in the number of reports of rental scams. As demand grows in the country’s hottest rental markets, like Toronto and Vancouver, scams have become a serious risk to renters – with as many as 43% of renters throughout North America encountering fake ads during their search. Thankfully, renters can easily avoid these costly scams altogether by browsing using a rental platform with verified landlords & listings, or by learning to recognize and avoid common warning signs. This resource from liv.rent will break down some of the most common warning signs to look out for to ensure a safe & easy search for housing.
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Common signs of rental scams and how to avoid them
There are a number of potential scams renters may encounter during their search, but with the right knowledge and tools on your side, you can recognize and steer clear of these scams in advance. For renters wondering how to avoid the latest scams, here’s a breakdown of some of the most common red flags to look out for.
Red flag #1 – Too Good To Be True
If the rental rate seems shockingly low, raise an eyebrow. It may very well be a false listing.
How to Avoid:
Do some comparison shopping. Look at comparable properties in the same neighbourhood to determine appropriate market value. It is possible that you have come across a good deal, but it is wise to do your due diligence first.
Red flag #2 – Urgent demands for cash deposits
You have no obligation to make any deposit until a lease is signed. If a landlord is pressuring you to send a cash deposit before viewing a place and signing a lease, don’t do it!
How to Avoid:
If there is pressure to sign or send money, you should be suspicious. Legitimate businesses, especially in a hot rental market, have no need to pressure prospective tenants; they know you might need some time to make your decision. Moreover, they should be using their time to screen you first (references, work, etc.) before moving to the financial step.
You are only obligated to share contact information or SIN, credit card or bank account information with a prospective landlord until you decide to move forward with a lease.
How to Avoid:
DO NOT provide your SIN, credit card or bank account information until you have decided to move forward with a property. You are under no obligation to share these details. Once you do decide on a property, the landlord may ask you to show bank statements or tax information ensuring your salary can support the rent payments. You can show it to them but it is not mandatory. Your SIN is NEVER required by a landlord.
NOTE: The liv.rent platform requests some personal information, like bank statements and identification to verify you as a tenant and to complete your renter profile, which serves as your application for ALL property listings. As a verified tenant, landlords will prioritize your application; thereby, boosting your chances of securing your preferred rental. In fact, verified renters are 77% more likely to secure a rental as they are deemed more reliable and desirable by landlords.
Red flag #4 – Reluctance to use traceable payment methods
If a landlord seems reluctant to use traceable payment methods like cheque or e-transfer, be suspicious!
How to Avoid:
It is for your protection to pay by a traceable means – it provides evidence that payments have been made. Do not enter into a lease agreement with a landlord that doesn’t insist on traceable methods of payment.
TIP: The payment feature within liv.rent provides renters and landlords with a digital rent payment receipt. This is saved in the chat history between landlord and renter. It can be easily exported and printed for your records.
If setting up a property viewing is problematic, this could be a sign the property doesn’t actually exist. For renters looking to secure a property from abroad, this could mean landlords ignore requests for video tours or not providing up-to-date pictures.
How to Avoid:
If a landlord keeps switching viewing times or is a no-show, these are red flags. Scammers are reluctant to meet with their victims to avoid recognition and police descriptions. Make sure to check out your city’s Police Department website for more info on common scams. (Here’s a post by the Vancouver Police Department on Rental Scams.)
Also be wary when viewings are difficult because the owner is allegedly in another country. They may send lengthy emails flattering your suitability and selling the value of their property; you are right to be suspicious and to steer clear.
Red flag #6 – Address details withheld
If the landlord is reluctant to provide an address or unit number, this is suspicious and may indicate that the unit does not exist or the images posted are for a different unit than the one available.
How to Avoid:
Viewing a listing in person should be one of your first priorities and a key way to confirm the legitimacy of the listing. Be sure to schedule a viewing with the landlord or property management company. They should always be willing and prepared to set up appointments for live or virtual tours.
Landlords will typically want to verify your information (e.g. employment, credit score etc.) and conduct reference checks. While most renters dread the screening process, it’s a necessary part of a landlord’s job to ensure the person they’re renting to is a good match. Avoiding this altogether or rushing through it to try and expedite signing the lease is certainly something to be wary of.
How to Avoid:
If a landlord seems too eager to skip the screening process and move ahead to deposit collection and contract signing, this may be a red flag. Move onto another property!
TIP: Using liv.rent, landlords and property managers have all been verified; thus, providing security to renters. In addition, once a renter has completed their profile, or ‘renter resume‘, they are ‘verified‘ and it serves as their application for all the listings they wish to apply for.
Red flag #8 – Informality
Be wary if a landlord suggests that there’s no need for a lease, and a handshake is just fine. This is not true!
How to Avoid:
It is great if your landlord is friendly and you can develop an easy rapport with them. However, when it comes down to the business of leasing and paying rent on a property, a lease agreement is a MUST. You, as a tenant, need the protection of a lease agreement and a legitimate landlord should be willing to provide a lease agreement, their own contact info and references. Insist on it!
Are the photos blurry? Do you see the same photos used in another listing?Is the landlord refusing to provide photos? If any one of the aforementioned situations occurs, be suspicious.
How to Avoid:
View listing photos carefully. Ensure that the images provided match the description. Ask for more if required. Also, search up the address by viewing it on Google Maps and ensure that the images aren’t pulled from an actual sale listing.
Red flag #10 – Obscured landlord identity
If a landlord’s identity is hidden behind a numbered company or is otherwise unclear, be cautious.
How to Avoid:
Transparency between a landlord and potential tenant is vital to building a trusted relationship. Before signing the lease agreement, ask the landlord for home ownership documents and/or try to verify the legitimacy of the property management company using LinkedIn or Google searches.
If you’re wondering how to verify landlord ownership in Canada, look no further than liv.rent. We manually verify both landlord profiles and listings to protect our community of renters from scams.
There are many ways scammers try to lure a renter. First and foremost, through exaggerated listings or complicated communications. For example, in response to your inquiry, their email claims that they live abroad and provides many irrelevant details such as describing the complexity of their situation and often asking for money immediately.
How to Avoid:
Refer to Scam #1 and Scam #2, and have a look at some of this flagged correspondence by a fake landlord on rentboard.ca. If you’re renting in Toronto, follow the subreddit r/TorontoRenting for updates on rental scams in Toronto. It’s important to be on guard for similar listings.
Red flag #12 – Inconsistent rent pricing
The primary intent of any scam is to make money illegally. Some scammers rely solely on a tenant’s inattention to detail. They may list a property at one rate but then discretely modify the amount on the rental contract hoping that the new tenant will not notice the discrepancy.
How to Avoid:
Read through your rental agreement diligently to ensure the amount on the contract matches the amount you discussed. If you miss a discrepancy and sign the contract, you will be obliged to pay the amount listed in the contract.
The majority of rental scams revolve around landlords claiming to own property when they actually don’t. These can range from “landlords” renting a property that they saw was for sale, to someone renting a unit on a short-term basis as a tenant, then pretending they own it and re-listing it. Of course, most of these scams can be avoided altogether if you’re able to verify whether the landlord owns the property they’re renting.
To do this, renters have a few options:
Use a rental platform with verified landlords & listings – The most straightforward, easy way for renters to be sure they’re dealing with the real landlord is by using a platform that manually verifies landlords and listings — like liv.rent. Here, renters can easily search for verified listings and proceed with confidence knowing that they’re not facing a scam.
Ask for proof of ownership – Renters can also simply ask landlords for documents that prove they own the property in question. Things like land title documents and property tax statements, paired with a piece of photo ID, can be an effective way to prove the landlord is who they say they are.
Searching land titles – Many Canadian provinces have a way for tenants to search land title or land property records to confirm who owns the property they’re applying to. To do this, you’ll typically need to have the landlord’s legal name and the property’s address.
The video below shows how renters using liv.rent can safely search for verified listings from trusted landlords.
What to do if you’ve been scammed & how to report rental scams
This list of scams is by no means comprehensive. Dishonest people are always devising new and clever ways to fool unsuspecting renters. Regardless of whether a platform or website is reputable and well-respected, scams still occur. Keep your eyes wide open and do your best to protect yourself from rental scams in Canada.
If, however, you realize you’ve been scammed, consider taking these measures:
Flag the listing within the platform immediately so they can remove the listing and flag the person who placed the ad
Freeze any financial transactions you may have put in motion (i.e. cancel cheques, e-transfers etc.)
Inform local authorities:
If you’ve been the victim of a rental scam or another type of fraud, or if you have information about this type of scam, report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501);
Local RCMP detachment or Police Department (9-1-1 non-emergency line)
Seek guidance from your provincial government or regulatory body:
Keep your eyes wide open and do your best to protect yourself from rental scams in Canada!
FAQ: How to protect yourself from rental scams in Canada
How do you make sure you are not getting scammed by a rental?
Being cautious and looking out for the twelve scams outlined here is a great way to avoid getting scammed, but unfortunately, this isn’t always 100% effective.
A great way to ensure you’re staying safe is by using a rental platform that manually verifies both landlords and listings, such as liv.rent. Here, renters can browse safely thanks to strict verification processes and features that make this Canada’s safest rental platform.
How do I know if a landlord is legitimate in Canada?
Don’t be afraid to ask landlords for documents that prove they own the property they’re renting, as well as for identification that confirms who they say they are. For property managers, requesting to see their license is a good way to avoid being scammed.
Again, liv.rent can take care of this step for you by manually checking landlords’ identities.
How do I verify a landlord before renting?
Renters are within their rights to ask landlords for documentation proving their ownership, and the same goes for property managers as well. Things like land title documents, property tax statements, and other documents are good ways to prove you’re dealing with the real landlord. If you’re using liv.rent, simply look out for a verified badge to know you’re in good hands.
How do you validate a rental agreement?
Many Canadian provinces like B.C. and Ontario have standard residential tenancy agreements designed to regulate the rules regarding tenancies. Once signed, these agreements are legally binding until the end of the lease term.
For extra security, consider taking advantage of liv.rent’s contract verification feature. When you sign a digital contract on liv.rent, a unique contract ID is generated. This code can then be entered into the platform to confirm that the contract is valid.
How do I find out who owns my rented property?
If a landlord hasn’t verified their property on liv.rent, and refuses to provide land ownership documents, you can check who owns the property so long as you know the address. This can be done by searching land title or land property records for your province, for example the Land Title and Survey Authority (LTSA) in B.C., or land property records in Ontario
How do I check if a rental property is legit?
If you’re not using a platform with verified listings, it’s vital to keep an eye out for the red flags listed above. As an extra step, follow the steps in the above question to search land title/property records to be 100% sure you’re dealing with a real property and the person who owns it.
How to spot a rental scammer?
Keep an eye out for the 12 red flags covered here, as these are the best indicators of a rental scammer. With that being said, the latest scams are growing more complex, so ultimately it’s best to trust your gut if you’re unsure about a listing or landlord.
Can a landlord ask for a deposit before signing a lease?
Landlords may ask for a deposit at any time, however in almost all Canadian provinces, you are not required to send this deposit until you’ve entered into a tenancy agreement.
The exact rules governing deposits vary significantly in provinces like B.C., Ontario, and Alberta, so it’s best to read up on local rules before you start applying for rentals.
Staying informed is the best way to protect yourself from rental scams in Canada. When you understand the red flags, verify ownership, and know how to report fraud, you give yourself a much safer search experience — whether you’re renting short-term or long-term.
If you’d like to see how verification, compliance checks, and safer booking standards can reduce risk even further, you can explore our overview of rules, documents, and best practices here: No more scams
For months, a Washington, D.C.-based group called Progress Action has been spending thousands of dollars to inundate Maui residents with radio and online advertisements warning that Mayor Richard Bissen’s plan to phase out about half the island’s short-term rentals would be “a failure and a mistake.”
“Maui is rebuilding. Visitors help pay for that,” a male voice says in one of the commercials. “So why push a bill that costs jobs and doesn’t solve the crisis?”
The ads have run repeatedly on local radio stations and across streaming platforms, capturing the attention of community members and prompting local nonprofits to dig for more information on who is behind Progress Action’s campaign and where the money is coming from. Public information about Progress Action is extremely limited. The records that are available indicate Progress Action is a political action committee or nonprofit that is effectively skirting state campaign finance laws and lobbying disclosure requirements that could normally provide greater transparency.
Sarah Steiner, an election lawyer based in New York, said it used to be “very rare” for dark money organizations to get involved in a hyperlocal political debate, but it has recently become much more common.
Even so, she said, “it is not normal for there to be almost no public information.”
Most noncandidate organizations that run political advertisements, including political action committees and super PACS, are required by federal and state laws to register with the Federal Election Commission or the Hawaiʻi State Campaign Spending Commission.
Progress Action has not registered with either body, but that may be due to legal loopholes.
Tony Baldomero, the Campaign Spending Commission’s associate director, said state law defines campaign spending as being related to a specific candidate or ballot issue. Progress Action is encouraging people to call their current council members and tell them to vote against the bill.
“When I look at the contents of some of those ads, I’m not sure that it falls under my jurisdiction,” he said.
Bissen unveiled his housing plan, which is spelled out in Bill 9, last year largely in response to the devastating fires in Lahaina and Upcountry Maui. The bill’s next stop is a vote before the full Maui County Council but it’s unclear when that will happen. It advanced out of the council’s Housing and Land Use Committee in July, with members voting 6-3 in favor after days of emotional testimony and several hours of heated deliberations.
There may still be changes to the current version of Bill 9 before it is taken up for a final vote, as some council members only agreed to support the bill so long as they also approved the creation of a temporary investigative group that would encourage dialogue between lawmakers and the county planning department and allow them to go over exceptions for certain properties in areas with multiple zoning districts.
The bill calls for phasing out transient vacation rentals in apartment-zoned districts to address the housing shortage. Without any carveouts, this would mean eliminating about 7,000 short-term rentals.
‘Who’s Really Paying For This’
Anne Frederick, executive director of the nonprofit Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action, underscored the lack of transparency about who is funding an aggressive advertising campaign related to local housing policy.
“It’s important to understand who’s really paying for this,” she said. “Corporate money to influence legislation, especially at the county council level, is really detrimental to the democratic process.”
Dark money groups have circumvented laws intended to increase transparency surrounding political influence campaigns by registering as nonprofits, but it’s unclear whether Progress Action is considered a nonprofit because it has not filed any publicly available tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service. The group’s president is listed in one of the ad’s purchasing agreements as Martin Hamburger, a Washington, D.C.-based consultant with a long history in Hawaiʻi politics. He previously worked for Pacific Resource Partnership, which is bankrolled by the politically influential Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters. Progress Action’s treasurer is Janica Kyriacopoulos, founder of an accounting firm that has served numerous Democratic campaigns and committees.
This is not the first time Hamburger and Kyriacopoulos have been associated with an obscure political organization behind an aggressive ad campaign.
Leading up to the Democratic primary election ahead of New York’s 2022 gubernatorial race, the pair was behind a dark money group called Empire Results that funded several attack ads targeting incumbent Kathy Hochul. The state’s Board of Elections looked into whether Empire Results violated New York law by engaging in unregistered independent expenditure activity and failing to disclose its donors, but the investigation was closed without an official determination.
Kyriacopoulos has also been involved in the campaigns of candidates for federal and state offices, and she has had leadership roles in several noncandidate committees related to elections and contentious political debates acrossthecountry, public records show. Some groups that she held positions of leadership at have had complaints filed against them with the Federal Election Commission, including some that were dismissed.
Neither Hamburger nor Kyriacopoulos responded to requests for comment.
Frederick said she used public records from the Federal Communications Commission to help identify Kyriacopoulos as Progress Action’s main contact. One of HAPA’s objectives is to shed light on how corporate interests influence government decisions, she said.
“When we have these kinds of corporate lobbyists and all of their resources, it really creates an unlevel playing field,” she said.
Pacific Resource Partnership is “not at all” affiliated with Progress Action, according to spokesman Andrew Pereira.
“I know there is a big fight on Maui about Bill 9, but no, we haven’t heard of this group before,” he said.
Pereira added that PRP has supported increased restrictions on vacation rentals.
In an advertisement agreement form with the local radio station KPOA, a buyer from a Georgia-based political media buying firm representing Progress Action lists the organization’s official address as a private mailbox at a UPS store in Washington, D.C. The buyer, Jeff Scattergood, did not return calls or emails seeking comment.
Baldomero said it’s unusual to see a D.C.-based group engaging in this level of political activity at the county level, and he has received calls from Maui residents inquiring about who is behind the ads they’ve heard blanketing radio airwaves and seen running on streaming services.
“But they don’t fall on my radar yet, so there is nothing I can do,” he said.
The Maui County Board of Ethics has also not communicated with anyone from Progress Action, and no one acting on the group’s behalf has registered with the board as lobbyist, a county spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.
Bissen said that Bill 9 is “about protecting homes for Maui’s people,” which means “ensuring our policies, and the voices influencing them, reflect our community, not outside agendas.”
“Maui’s housing decisions must be rooted in truth and transparency,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. “When outside groups spend large sums to shape our local conversations, it raises real concerns about whose interests are being served.”
‘Outside Influence’
Progress Action’s website says the group is “committed to strengthening Hawaiʻi’s short-term rental industry,” which supports communities statewide by expanding local economic opportunities, creating jobs and generating tax revenue. It links to press releases posted to websites for the Maui Vacation Rental Association and a national organization called the Travel Technology Association.
Both groups denied having any affiliation with Progress Action. A spokesperson for Airbnb said the vacation rental platform was also unaffiliated with and had never donated to Progress Action. In one recent advertisement playing on YouTube and across streaming platforms like Hulu and Peacock, a voice tells viewers that Maui has endured “crisis after crisis.”
“But we’re rebuilding,” the voice says over a video of a construction worker operating an excavator on a property near the ocean. “Bill 9 costs millions, forcing higher taxes when we need every dollar.”
“Call your council member,” the voice concludes. “We won’t pay the bill for Bill 9.”
One ad depicts shops disappearing from Makawao as a voice warns that fewer short-term rentals could result in fewer jobs and less revenue for the county. Another ad says new restrictions on vacation rentals in other places failed to lower rent prices and Maui “can’t afford Bissen’s so-called fix” to the local housing shortage.
The commercials have been playing regularly for months, and in September Lahaina Strong — a community group that has long advocated for the passage of Bill 9 — began to publicly question Progress Action. In one video posted to Instagram, Lahaina Strong creative director De Andre Makakoa asks viewers to consider why a mainland group representing “big money outside influences” might be so invested in a local housing policy debate.
“They’re trying to pose as our local voices and influence our community to think that this is a community versus community debate and to pit us against each other,” he said. “The reality is that it is us versus them, just like it always has been. But we see through it, Maui.”
Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.
Even as policies and politics evolve across regions like Maui, one truth remains — verified, transparent vacation rentals are the foundation of a sustainable travel economy. For Trusted Travelers and responsible property owners, platforms like BRnX Travel make it possible to keep earning, stay compliant, and drive revenue — no matter how regulations shift. Verification builds confidence. Confidence = bookings. Sign in and make sure you’re property gets more bookings
Origin post: https://beatofhawaii.com/visitors-push-back-as-hawaii-faces-new-anti-luxury-shift/ Article: Luxury travel isn’t dead. It’s being redefined. And Hawaii, once the gold standard for high-end vacations, now sits squarely in the middle of the shift. National research this month confirms what readers and editors have been saying here for more than a year: luxury is changing. The new term is “anti luxury,” and nearly half of American travelers now say that’s the kind of trip they want.
According to The State of the American Traveler study, 43 percent of Americans find anti-luxury travel appealing. And to some degree at least, Beat of Hawaii editors count ourselves among them. That number jumps to 59 percent among Gen Z and 53 percent among Millennials. But here’s the twist: 65 percent of Gen Z travelers still value upscale touches. They just want them to feel authentic. Meaning beats marble, and value beats veneer. If you’ve ever felt like Hawaii’s travel experience has become more about fees than feelings, you’re not alone. Across hundreds of reader comments, the message is consistent. Visitors still want Hawaii, but they want it to feel worth it again.
Hawaii’s problem is that it has been chasing the opposite audience.
While 52 percent of travelers earning under $50,000 a year say they’re drawn to anti-luxury travel, only 37 percent of those earning over $200,000 agree. Hawaii has been placing a heavy bet on the second group.
Anti-luxury isn’t about roughing it. It’s about travelers seeking substance over status. They still want comfort, but they want it to feel earned and authentic. Think couples skipping a $1,000 resort night to splurge on a local guide or a family choosing meaningful days over showy nights.
When travelers say Hawaii feels too transactional, they’re not rejecting quality. They are rejecting the sense that quality has been replaced by markup. Readers have been describing this shift for months in stories like Hawaii’s new fees cross the line and the vanishing middle class of Hawaii travel.
The income gap Hawaii can’t ignore.
The study revealed a clear gap between what Hawaii markets and what most travelers actually want. Lower-income travelers were the most interested in anti-luxury experiences, while the high earners Hawaii targets were least interested. The islands’ current “premium visitor” strategy chases the group least likely to value what Hawaii truly offers: natural beauty, connection, and culture.
The visitors who built Hawaii’s tourism base are being priced out, even as they remain the ones most loyal to the experience Hawaii once promised. The math is brutal: Hawaii markets to the 37 percent who don’t want what it offers, while alienating the 52 percent who do.
A study linked to by Future Partners found that 65 percent of travelers consider wellness important in planning trips, and 43 percent actively seek experiences that support their physical, mental, or spiritual health. This is especially true for Millennials and women, the same groups Hawaii’s visitor mix relies on most.
Hawaii should own wellness travel. Sunrise swims, hikes through native forests, local produce stands, and quiet moments are built into daily life here. Yet, most hotels still treat wellness as a spa upcharge, rather than as a core experience. Anti-luxury travelers want wellness baked in, not bolted on.
The hotels that figure this out first, the ones that swap $200 spa treatments for complimentary sunrise yoga or guided trail access, will own the next decade of Hawaii travel.
Airline loyalty changes and seat shrinkage only deepen this mood. Comfort now resides in the middle, offering premium economy, extra legroom, and transparency about what you get for the price.
These flyers are the same ones that choose smaller brands that feel honest. They’ll still pay for comfort, but they expect transparency and decency in return.
What younger travelers are signaling.
Gen Z and Millennials are leading the charge, with 59 percent and 53 percent, respectively, saying they prefer anti-luxury travel. But here’s the twist: 65 percent of Gen Z still value upscale touches; they want them to feel authentic.
Gen Z travelers are taking fewer trips than any other generation, just 3.3 in the coming year, but they’re the most optimistic about their future finances. Sixty-three percent expect to be better off next year, compared with 32 percent of Boomers. They’re not broke. They’re selective.
When Gen Z and younger Millennials come to Hawaii, they want real experiences that fit their values. They are allergic to pretense. They share their disappointments online, but they also reward authenticity when they find it.
How Hawaii can win back its visitors.
Anti-luxury travel is a direct reaction to that feeling. It’s a refusal to pay for detachment. Hotels and destinations that prioritize human connection, offer friendly check-in staff, provide thoughtful amenities, and maintain honest communication will win these guests back. It’s not about cheaper rooms. It’s about feeling that the experience and the price align again.
Nearly half of Americans, 47 percent, expect a U.S. recession within six months, up nine points from last year. Even so, 59 percent still plan to prioritize leisure travel in their budgets. That mix of caution and determination defines this moment. People will still travel, but they’ll be ruthless about value.
For Hawaii, that means the visitors are not gone. They’re simply choosing differently. They want transparency, respect, and experiences that feel like the islands they remember.
What Hawaii can do next.
If Hawaii tourism wants to thrive in the anti-luxury era, it needs to realign with what travelers are saying. Stop marketing aspiration and start marketing truth. Invest in the service experience, not just the structures. Simplify the costs and clarify the fees. Let visitors feel they’re part of something meaningful, not just a revenue target.
Small changes make a difference. Authentic greetings. Flexible cancellation policies. Honest communication about what’s open, what’s crowded, and what’s truly local. These are the new luxuries, and they cost almost nothing.
What travelers can do to make Hawaii worth it again.
If you’re planning a trip, focus on the version of Hawaii that still feels genuine. Visit during shoulder seasons, such as April through June or September through November. Book mid-tier accommodations that prioritize service over branding. Use points where you can, but spend on local experiences that remind you why Hawaii mattered in the first place.
We’ve found ourselves shifting between both worlds on our own travels. On a recent South Pacific trip, in Rarotonga, we stayed in a simple beachfront Airbnb that was clean, quiet, and inexpensive, perfect for slowing down.
A few days later on Aitutaki, we splurged on what passes there as a five-star resort. It wasn’t perfect, but it had heart.
Then in Papeete, comfort mattered more, so we chose a larger, well-run resort before ending the trip in Bora Bora at a small lagoon-front rental costing a fraction of the luxury-brand over-water villas nearby. Each stop delivered something different, and not one of them felt like a downgrade.
That, in the end, is the point. Anti-luxury isn’t about rejecting the high end. It’s about choosing when it actually adds meaning, and when a clean room, a friendly face, and a view that stops you mid-sentence are worth far more than another champagne check-in. (Beat of Hawaii editors).
The bigger picture.
Anti-luxury isn’t a rejection of Hawaii. It’s a reset of expectations. It’s a sign that travelers want their trips to feel purposeful again. Hawaii, with all its natural and cultural gifts, should be the model for that. But only if it listens.
At BRnX Travel, we understand this shift better than anyone — because we’re built on it. Our Verification and Accreditation Standards (INACHI + ISO based) exist to make sure your property isn’t just beautiful — it’s authentic, transparent, and trusted.
As guests move away from flashy brands and toward verified experiences, owners who meet our standards will lead this new era. They’re not selling “luxury.” They’re selling peace of mind, credibility, and meaning — the new definition of luxury travel.
BRnX Verified. BRnX Accredited. BRnX Trusted. That’s how you meet the new traveler where they are.
Orgin Article: https://awning.com/post/colorado-short-term-rental-laws Article: The Colorado Short-Term Rental Alliance, a nonprofit volunteer organization known as COSTRA, officially launched in September, promising to be a unified voice in advocating for the state’s short-term rental community.
The alliance was created through a merger of various existing organizations, like Mile High Hosts and the Colorado Lodging Resort Alliance. Julia Koster, the new executive director of COSTRA, said the newly formed organization will focus on addressing legislative and regulatory issues burdening new and old rental property owners and providing education for property managers in Colorado. The Colorado Lodging Resort Alliance already has a positive rapport with short-term rental owners across the state, particularly through their efforts fighting the state property tax bill in 2024 and their discussions surrounding the County Lodging Tax Expansion bill. Still, Koster said the organization chose to change its name following the merger to better fit the people it represents.
COSTRA collaborates with stakeholders, online travel agencies like Expedia and Airbnb and legislators at the state Capitol. The alliance currently has chapters in Denver and Summit County, with more in the works for Steamboat and Telluride.
In a Sept. 9 webinar introducing the association and its goal for the upcoming year, several Colorado leaders in tourism and the rental industry brought forth discussions of evolving tourism trends and upcoming short-term rental legislation.
Short-term rentals are getting less business from international travelers
Tourism is a significant contributor to Colorado’s economy. In 2024 alone, visitor expenditure in the state reached a record $28.5 billion — an increase of 0.5% over 2023. Tourism generated $1.9 billion in local and state tax revenues the same year, an average of $800 in tax relief per Colorado household, according to Colorado Tourism Office Director Tim Wolfe. Tourism also added 3,720 to the state in 2024.
International tourism to Colorado is wavering, however, which is bad news for the short-term rental community.
“International travel is very important because those travelers spend five times the amount of a domestic traveler,” Wolfe said during the webinar. “They stay longer. It’s less turnover in your units, which actually can save you on cleaning fees by having somebody stay longer.”
International skier visits, which draw a significant portion of tourism to Colorado, have been on the decline since 2015, rebounding slightly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Accompanying this drop in international tourism is a year of softer hotel occupancies.
“As hotel occupancies are softer, that’s going to actually increase the competition for your short-term rentals,” Wolfe said. “The hotels are going to be trying to drive occupancies as well.”
Occupancy for short-term rentals is also off to a slower start than previous years, reaching 59% in July compared to 63% in July 2023. Colorado Direct Source Short Term Rental Occupancy is down 1.8% year-over-year, according to data from the Colorado Tourism Office.
“The good news is that the forecast for Airbnb and VRBO is looking pretty good through October, but it’s still kind of early in the booking window,” Wolfe said.
Colorado’s domestic market share of visitors has also been declining since before the pandemic. Although the drop in its share compared to the U.S. has slowed through 2025, it has not improved.
State tax, Wolfe said, is not a deterrent for tourism to the state, since Colorado’s state tax is the 47th lowest in the country at 2.9%. Hotel taxes and short-term rental taxes, however, are on the rise in individual Colorado counties. Steamboat Springs, for example, has a classic short-term rental state sales tax of 20.4%. Aspen’s is 21.3% compared to 11.3% for hotels.
‘That’s a little bit scary’: COSTRA prepares for upcoming legislation hurdles
With the surge in popularity of short-term rentals in Colorado, leaders at the state and local levels have been asked to weigh their economic benefits to homeowners against created challenges like housing shortages and rising rents. Several Colorado jurisdictions have implemented regulations on short-term rentals following House Bill 1117, which allowed for local government control in 2021.
At the state level, there are multiple bills that COSTRA has identified as being potentially harmful to short-term rental owners, despite support from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
One of last year’s notable proposals was the Colorado Association of Ski Towns’ vacancy tax proposal, which aimed to address the affordable housing crisis in both mountain and urban areas by allowing local governments to put vacancy tax proposals on their ballots, or tax empty homes. The proposal was altered before the 2025 legislative session to exclude short-term rentals after receiving pushback from the lodging industry, but it did not advance.
One bill expected to be introduced in January is the excise tax proposal, which would allow for counties and statutory cities to create an excise tax on any industry. Jaclyn Terwey, regional government affairs manager for Expedia group, said during the webinar that the bill did not get introduced last year thanks to the local efforts of short-term rental groups, though it will soon be making a comeback.
“We are very nervous about this excise tax proposal, rightfully so,” Koster said. “With this type of proposal with no ceiling, county commissioners could literally promote an excise tax on whatever they want for whatever amount they choose. That’s a little bit scary.”
Although Senate Bill 33 — the 2024 property tax bill which would have changed the property tax on short-term rentals from residential rates to commercial rates — did not see a comeback this year, Terwey said Colorado’s current budget hole might have legislators looking at short-term rentals for ways to fill those gaps.
“That year, we felt like they were only looking at short term rentals to fill the gaps in budget holes,” she said. “I think that it’s going to be a lot of different industries and a lot of different groups that are going to be helping plug some different areas. … So while I am hopeful that property taxes are not brought up, I would not be surprised if that becomes a conversation this year at the state level.”
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Hotels across Costa Rica face mounting pressures as tourist numbers dip and a sluggish dollar exchange rate eats into their earnings. From January to August 2025, air arrivals fell by 2.1 percent compared to the same stretch in 2024, signaling a slowdown in one of our country’s key economic drivers.
This drop ties directly to reduced spending by foreigners. Central Bank figures show that in the first half of 2025, international visitors spent $71 million less than they did a year earlier. The trend has left many hotel operators scrambling to cover costs that keep climbing in local currency.
Arnoldo Beeche, vice president of the Costa Rican Hotel Chamber, points out the harsh math at play. Hotels earn fewer colones for each dollar they bring in, even as expenses like utilities and staff wages rise. This squeeze hits hardest during quieter months when rooms already sit empty.
Beyond the numbers, broader issues compound the strain. U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump have hiked costs on Costa Rican exports, potentially tightening budgets for American travelers – the largest group heading to the country. These policies could further limit spending on trips abroad, adding uncertainty to an already soft market.
Digital rental platforms present another hurdle. Services like Airbnb operate under lighter rules than traditional hotels, giving them an edge in attracting budget-conscious guests. While new laws since 2021 require these platforms to register and report earnings for taxes, hotel groups argue the playing field remains uneven, allowing short-term rentals to undercut established businesses.
The Hotel Chamber has pressed the Central Bank on the exchange rate, criticizing its hands-off stance. They warn that without action, more operations could falter, leading to cutbacks in upgrades and job losses. Beeche stresses that this mix threatens not just profits but the livelihoods tied to tourism.
Officials in tourism call for steps to bolster competitiveness. They urge the government to address the exchange rate and refine regulations on digital platforms to support sustainable growth. As Costa Rica heads into the final months of 2025, those in tourism hope for a rebound, but current signs point to ongoing challenges.
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Man killed in Pinellas Park Airbnb standoff identified; shooting raises concerns about safety, vetting, and regulation of short-term rentals in residential neighborhood.
Meanwhile, the officer-involved shooting is raising new concerns about short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods. Some neighbors said it’s a smart business move, while others suggested it should be limited to specific areas.
“Nobody knew that was an Airbnb,” said Knicole Miller, a neighbor. “We had just recently found that out, and that’s scary.”
WATCH: Man killed in Pinellas Park Airbnb standoff identified, shooting sparks debate over short-term rentals
Miller has lived on 82nd Avenue North for more than 37 years, and she witnessed the standoff that led to a shooting.
On Monday, the Pinellas County sheriff’s Office identified the man who died as 42-year-old Eric Ton. Officials said he was homeless and had rented out an Airbnb home for about a week.
WFTS
Authorities said he refused to leave the property and barricaded himself inside.
In the video Miller shared with Tampa Bay 28 over the weekend, you could hear officers saying, “Get out of the residence now, unarmed, and you can leave here peacefully.”
Eventually, the officers entered, but Ton reportedly attacked an officer with a knife, and another officer shot and killed him.
“It was scary, for sure,” said Andrea Williams, a neighbor.
WFTS
Tampa Bay 28 Annette Gutierrez returned to the neighborhood on Monday to try and speak with the homeowner of the Airbnb property.
Instead, she found a cleaning crew on site — working to tidy up the place after the death that had occurred inside.
When Tampa Bay 28 reached out to an Airbnb spokesperson about what the protocols are when a crime takes place on property, they responded with an emailed statement saying:
“Safety incidents during Airbnb stays are extremely rare. We’re working to support the host however we can and stand ready to assist in the ongoing investigation.”
Airbnb Spokesperson
Williams said she understands short-term rentals are good business, but she wants better vetting.
“I love Airbnbs,” said Williams. “I feel like they’re a great thing. I mean, I do think maybe people should go through a background check just because, especially in neighborhoods, you know, you have kids and different things like that.”
While others, like Miller, said they don’t want Airbnbs in residential areas at all.
“I mean, we have enough hotels and motels right here, so we don’t need any more Airbnbs in the neighborhood,” said Miller. “We don’t need any more of that. We really don’t. I mean, we’re putting our children at risk at this point.”
The Airbnb spokesperson stated that to support the host of this home, they have temporarily deactivated the listing while the investigation continues.
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