It could soon be compulsory for people providing rented holiday accommodation in Cornwall to register their business.

Tourism leaders are staging consultation events to gauge the views of the tourism sector about the proposal.

The drive to introduce compulsory accommodation registration is being led by the industry itself, with leaders saying they recognised the responsibility that businesses had to keep everyone safe and adhere to safety regulations, but also the impact that non-compliant operators could have on the communities in which they operated, and the environment.

Online marketing platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO have led to an explosion in additional holiday accommodation in recent years, which leaders said had led to "over-tourism" during peak periods and had added to the growing housing crisis, due to the loss of residential houses.

They believed that compulsory registration could help ease the pressure on the property market, as some operators, upon realising the regulations they have to comply with, could potentially decide to revert to residential letting.

South East Cornwall Tourism Association, Penzance & District Tourism Association, We are Bude, Visit Tamar Valley, Visit Falmouth, Land’s End Accommodation and Visit Cornwall have joined forces to bring the proposal forward for Cornwall to act a pilot area for the scheme.

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CEO of Visit Cornwall, Malcolm Bell, said he was confident that it would be a positive move.

“This is an opportunity to provide a level playing field at last, with all providers bearing the same level of costs. Visitors to Cornwall will be reassured that wherever they stay the accommodation will comply with all necessary legislation to ensure they enjoy a safe, enjoyable holiday," he said.

“It will be a driver to assist in the reduction of periods of over-tourism in certain areas of Cornwall caused by the increased ad-hoc accommodation that has sprung up in peak season and the associated issues that this creates.

"A compulsory registration system would enable a simple way to communicate legislative changes to operators to ensure everyone is up to speed and compliant."

All accommodation providers are encouraged to attend one of the consultation events to learn more about the proposal and put forward their views.

The meetings are being held on Thursday, May 19, first at Lanhydrock Hotel, Bodmin between 10am and 12 noon, then again at Heartlands, Pool from 2pm to 4pm.

Pre-registration to attend either of the consultation meetings is required by emailing charlotte@visitcornwall.com