Airbnb Advocacy 101: How to Become a Voice for the STR Industry

Key Takeaways:

• Data-backed advocacy is essential for protecting STR operators from restrictive policies by busting myths and highlighting Airbnbs’s positive contributions to local communities.
• Building relationships with stakeholders and pairing data with compelling stories can create more balanced, fair regulations for STRs.
• STR operators can get involved in advocacy by joining local alliances, educating communities, and sharing insights to drive informed decision-making.

Imagine your short-term rental business is a thriving garden. The right soil (a fair regulatory environment) and careful tending (advocacy efforts) are key to ensuring that every bloom (Airbnb listing) thrives. 

What happens when local Airbnb laws and misconceptions threaten to uproot everything you’ve built, though? This is where Airbnb advocacy comes in—a vital tool for protecting short-term rental (STR) activity and contributing to a balanced, informed conversation about STRs.

Advocacy is not about picking fights or deflecting criticism; it’s about nurturing understanding, correcting misconceptions, and creating regulations that work for everyone—hosts, guests, and communities alike. 

In this article, we’ll provide practical advice on getting involved in Airbnb advocacy. We draw on real-world examples from John An, founder of TechTape, a short-term rental revenue management platform, in Hawaii and Julie Marks, founder and executive director of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance in Vermont. Thoughtful advocacy, powered by data and storytelling, can make all the difference in how short-term rentals are perceived.

Why Airbnb Advocacy Matters

For hundreds of thousands of people around the world, short-term rentals are more than just a side hustle. They’re a lifeline for local economies and a favorite among modern travelers. 

For all their perks, though, STRs have also found themselves in the crosshairs of major nationwide debates. They’re often blamed for problems like housing affordability, neighborhood changes, and unfair competition in hospitality—without solid evidence to back up the claims. 

The result has been hastily implemented STR regulations and short-sighted ordinances that often fail to address the root causes of these issues, leaving hosts, communities, and local economies caught in the crossfire. 

Airbnb advocacy helps ensure that conversations and laws impacting short-term rentals are fair, grounded in facts, and inclusive of the benefits STRs bring to the table. Without advocacy, restrictive measures like Hawaii Bill 41 or New York City’s Local Law 18 could become the norm, forcing many STR operators out of business.

Airbnb advocates focus on correcting misinformation and busting common myths like:

• Affordable housing concerns: Critics believe the impact of Airbnb on housing prices is to raise them, but the data shows many short-term rentals operate in second-home properties or spare rooms that are unsuitable for long-term renters. In markets where the number of STRs has been drastically reduced, housing prices continue to increase. Advocacy helps redirect focus to broader housing policy solutions.
• Corporate ownership: Despite claims that STRs are dominated by corporations, most are run by families, retirees, or small-scale operators relying on STR income. Advocacy showcases the personal stories behind STR ownership.
• Unfair competition: STRs are accused of undercutting hotels and B&Bs, but they cater to a different market, like families or professionals seeking flexibility. Advocacy promotes coexistence between hotels and STRs as well as policies that balance competition without stifling innovation.
• Overtourism: Critics say STRs contribute to overtourism, but they often spread visitors across less-trafficked areas. Airbnbs can actually reduce strain on central hotspots while boosting revenue for local small businesses. Advocacy emphasizes STRs’ role in supporting local economies while encouraging sustainable tourism policies.

How STR Advocacy Works

STR advocacy isn’t about yelling louder than critics; it’s about crafting a message that resonates. Effective advocacy is like making the perfect cocktail—you need the right ingredients (accurate data, compelling stories, and strategic relationships) mixed in just the right proportions to reshape discussions and advocate for fairer policies.

Airbnb advocates like John An and Julie Marks know that there are several ways to approach advocating for the STR industry, but agree that there are three primary keys to success: understanding your audience, building relationships with key stakeholders, and educating the community. 

Step 1: Understand your audience

Different audiences require different approaches to advocacy. Advocates need to keep in mind who they’re speaking to when determining what messaging and tactics will resonate best.

• Policymakers and regulators: Numbers don’t lie, and that’s what this audience needs. Data on occupancy trends, housing stock, and economic contributions can sway their opinions and help them better understand the true landscape and impact of the STR industry.
• Community members and local officials: Community-level discussions are often driven by emotion, not logic. Here, qualitative data—like painting the picture of who actually owns STRs in local communities—can help calm fears and build trust.

Julie Marks of VTSTRA knows this well. 

For local officials and community members, “we’ve found it very useful to share demographic information about who is a part of the short-term rental community, both within the fabric locally, but also who's engaging in this economy from out of state,” Julie says. “Sharing the data we get from partners with state agencies is really effective for establishing common ground.”

Step 2: Build relationships with key stakeholders

In Airbnb advocacy, relationships are the bridge between understanding and progress. 

Effective advocates build relationships with:

• Local tourism boards / Chambers of commerce
• Local housing authorities / realtors associations
• State legislators
• Planning commissions
• City councils / Select boards
• Local business owners in the community

These are the people shaping the laws that govern vacation rental businesses, so forming a strong connection can mean the difference between being heard or ignored.

“I think that, until now, STR managers have been pretty  isolated from one another. Industries don’t thrive that way,” Julie says. She’s right: advocacy doesn’t work in a vacuum; it’s a team sport. 

John An’s advocacy has focused on short-term rental regulation on Oahu, Hawaii. “Advocacy is a broad collaborative effort,” he shared. Bill 41 initially proposed a 180-day minimum length of stay for short-term rentals, but it was the Hawaii Legal Short Term Rental Alliance (HLSTRA) that sued the county to keep it a 30-day minimum. John emphasizes that “it was a broad coalition, some advocacy, some legal, that resulted in the ‘win’ of keeping the 30-day minimum length of stay in residential areas.”

By fostering relationships and building a network, you create opportunities for collaboration and establish yourself as a trusted voice in the conversation.

Step 3: Focus on educating

Education is the backbone of effective advocacy, transforming misconceptions into informed perspectives. Many critics of short-term rentals operate based on assumptions or emotional responses rather than understanding the nuanced realities of the STR industry. Advocates must step in to fill this knowledge gap by providing accurate information tailored to the audience's needs.

“Education is one of the biggest underpinnings to advocacy because a lot of the anti-short-term rental rhetoric that we hear and a lot of the laws and regulations that we see are based primarily on false assumptions and fears, rather than on data,” Julie Marks explains.

Using AirDNA Data in Airbnb Advocacy

Data can be the ultimate trump card in short-term rental advocacy, turning abstract arguments into tangible, evidence-based insights. When conversations about STR regulations heat up, data equips advocates with the information they need to debunk myths, correct misconceptions, and shine a light on the positive contributions of STRs to local economies.

Whether it’s disproving sweeping claims about corporate ownership or illustrating how STRs operate within housing market dynamics, AirDNA’s robust data can shift the narrative and give STR advocates a seat at the decision-making table.

The role of data in shaping the narrative

Accurate data helps advocates move conversations from anecdotal complaints to evidence-based discussions. 

With AirDNA, advocates can access metrics like:

• Active listings over time
• Occupancy rates
• Average annual revenue
• STR operator demographics, such as how many units each host manages

These insights provide hard numbers to counter misinformation.

In Vermont, AirDNA’s data on STR availability and occupancy rates has helped Julie Marks address concerns about housing supply. She uses data to demonstrate that many properties used for short-term rentals are second homes or vacation homes — meaning they wouldn’t be available for long-term leases and would not work as a solution to low housing stock.

In Oahu, Hawaii, AirDNA data played a crucial role in illustrating how legislation like Hawaii Bill 89 and Bill 41 directly impacted STR availability and tax revenue.

“When we looked at AirDNA data, we saw the number of active Airbnb listings over time. When Bill 89 passed, that number dipped. And then when there was no enforcement, it started to rise again. And then when Bill 41 came, it dipped again,” John An explains. “What it showed was that the bills were very effective in reducing the number of short-term rentals. Subsequently, the legislators' blood thirst to eliminate short term rentals has subsided noticeably.”

An and the STR alliances in Hawaii also leveraged data to dispel a related argument that uses short-term rentals as a scapegoat for low housing affordability. “We were able to use AirDNA data to map the number of short-term rentals on a timeline relative to bills that were passed…on the same graph, we mapped the average housing cost over the same period, and it showed that the cost of housing has continued to increase despite the dramatic reduction in short-term rental supply.”

Lastly, An and the STR alliances in Hawaii used average annual income and expense data for short-term rentals in Maui to estimate how much of total income goes back into the local economy versus farther afield. They demonstrated the economic benefit of STRs by showing that 73% of related operator costs—such as property management, cleaning, supplies, and taxes—go to local service providers.

Qualifying data

Remember: how you present and qualify data is just as important as the data itself. 

“Data needs to be explained and qualified and described,” Julie reminds advocates. “You can't just throw graphs and numbers at people—they’re going to misinterpret it.”

One technique Julie employs is to share photos of real Airbnb listings, from 15-bedroom mansions to 1-bedroom apartment units in owner-occupied duplexes. This illustrates the vast diversity of STRs—and how illogical it is to lump all of them and their associated effects together. The visualization helps critics see that not all short-term rental properties will have the same impact on local communities, on housing stock, or on taxes. 

STR Advocacy in Action: Lessons from Vermont and Hawaii

Julie Marks in Vermont and John An in Hawaii have both demonstrated how effective advocacy can challenge misconceptions, influence policymakers, and create fairer short-term rental regulations. Their work offers valuable lessons for STR operators and stakeholders looking to protect their rights and contribute to their communities.

Case study: Vermont STR advocacy

Founded by Julie Marks, the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance (VTSTRA) “focuses on three things: advocating for the industry and the vacation rental economy, educating our members to be responsible hosts and adopt professional standards, and building a community so that people feel and know that they're not doing this alone.”

Since founding VTSTRA, Julie Marks has discovered a winning approach to Airbnb local advocacy: using a combination of data and storytelling to educate communities and bust persistent myths about STRs. 

“I definitely use data in advocating,” Julie says, “but it's also just half of the story.”

A lot of decisions—especially at local levels—are made on emotional reasoning rather than data, Julie has found. That’s why she incorporates real-world examples and softer data to humanize the discussion. 

Like most STR advocates, Julie is constantly battling the common misconception that STRs are predominantly owned by out-of-state investors or large corporations. When addressing this myth, Julie finds that “talking about who the owners are, who the property managers are, who the visitors are, and trying to put faces to those numbers is often quite effective.” 

This approach, combined with local demographic data and industry insights, has enabled Julie to show that the majority of Vermont STR owners are individuals who either reside in Vermont or actively use their properties for personal stays.

Her thoughtful approach has helped VTSTRA illustrate how STR operators are essential contributors to Vermont’s tourism economy and a value-add to local communities with small businesses.

Case study: The battle for STR rights in Hawaii

In recent years, Hawaii has become a flashpoint for STR regulation, with policymakers grappling to balance the islands’ booming tourism economy with concerns about housing affordability and neighborhood character. Airbnb legislation like Bill 89 and Bill 41 in Oahu aimed to impose stricter limits on STRs, including minimum stay requirements of up to 180 days in non-resort areas.

John An, founder of TechTape, has been at the forefront of STR advocacy in Hawaii, using data to challenge these measures and advocate for more balanced policies.

In one example, John and other STR alliances used an evidence-based approach to refute exaggerated claims about the monopolization of STRs by corporate investors. Lacking data and proper context, legislators conflated property managers with owners. They painted a misrepresentative picture that only a few large companies owned hundreds of STR properties. An disproved this fallacy with data illustrating that the majority of STR owners are residents with just 1 short-term rental unit.

John’s persistence paid off when he and fellow advocates successfully reduced the minimum stay requirement in Bill 41 from 180 days to 90 days—a significant win for Hawaii’s STR operators. Another pro-STR organization challenged the 90-day minimum stay requirement in court, and was able to keep the minimum length of stay to 30 days in non-resort areas.

“The legislators, the news media, they were just throwing out a data point that they had heard four, five years ago,” An says. “Bigger picture, because they now see our advocacy organization as having good data, the legislators reach out to us to ask questions and get information—even the ones who are anti-STR. We have been invited to participate in a few summits by the legislators. We literally created a seat at the table because we have good data.”

The fight isn’t over, but Oahu’s Airbnb legal battles underscore the importance of combining accurate data with relentless advocacy. It’s a lesson that resonates far beyond the islands: data alone can’t win the battle, but when paired with persistence and collaboration, it can create real change.

How STR Stakeholders Can Get Involved in Airbnb Advocacy

If you’re an STR operator, getting involved in advocacy can protect your rights and strengthen your local community. 

Steps to start advocating

1. Join a local alliance: Resources like Rent Responsibly can help you find or start a local STR advocacy group. 
2. Learn how to find and use data: Making a case for STRs is hard without accurate, up-to-date data. Platforms like AirDNA provide the insights you need to counter misconceptions and build your case. If your local area or state lacks data, turn to resources from neighboring states. You can also turn to local organizations, like property management companies, to glean useful insights.
3. Engage with decision-makers: Attend local meetings, present data, and share personal stories to educate stakeholders about the value of STRs. As Julie Marks puts it, “having data everywhere is one thing but we need people on the ground to share that data and to tell the story that the data supports.”

Actionable tips for Airbnb advocates

Survey your community

Reach out to local residents, businesses, and stakeholders to gather insights on how STRs influence the local economy, tourism, and housing. Surveys can reveal key data points, like how many small businesses rely on STR guests or how much revenue STRs generate for the area. These insights provide a well-rounded picture that strengthens your Airbnb advocacy efforts.

Tell compelling stories

Data is powerful, but pairing it with real-life stories makes it resonate. Share anecdotes about STR hosts who provide housing for traveling nurses, military families, or long-term contractors. For example, John An used the surfing community to illustrate the negative impact of transitioning month-to-month rentals to long-term contracts. “Surfers, their teams, filming crews, and others come to the North Shore for annual competitions and stay more than just a week or two—they’re there for at least a month or more,” John argued. “Requiring these short-term visitors to sign a six-month contract for housing [under Bill 41] just doesn’t work.”

Highlight how STR income has helped local families maintain their homes or fund community projects. Putting a human face on the numbers can sway even the most skeptical audiences.

Stay informed

Keep up with local laws, regulations, and public sentiment around STRs. Regularly attending council meetings, reading local news, and networking with fellow STR operators ensures you’re aware of any proposed changes that might affect your short-term rental business. Being proactive allows you to address challenges before they escalate into restrictive policies.