Vacation Rental Owners & Neighbors of Palm Springs (VRON-PS) Commissions Landmark Study

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., May 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As Palm Springs continues to recover from the COVID pandemic and its subsequent economic downturn, more-and-more people see the benefits of vacation home rentals. A recent study commissioned by the nonprofit Vacation Rental Owners & Neighbors of Palm Springs finds that 72% of voters say Palm Springs homeowners renting to visitors and tourists is good for Palm Springs, up from 63% in just over two years.

"Vacation rentals have been a positive part of Palm Springs since the 1950s," says David Feltman, one of the founders of VRON-PS, "Palm Springs got it right with smart, enforceable rules that balances the needs of visitors with the economic impact on the City and with the necessary security and safety concerns of those who live, work and own homes in Palm Springs."

The survey, conducted in April 2021 by the nationally known David Binder Research, polled over 325 respondents, all Palm Springs voters. The toplines show current comparisons to results from a previous Binder survey with identical questions in January 2018.

• 72% say Palm Springs homeowners renting short term to visitors and tourists is good for Palm Springs, up from 63%
• 61% say Palm Springs homeowners renting to visitors is good for their neighborhood, up from 53%
• Fewer respondents today say short-term rentals should be prohibited: 11% today, 20% in 2018
• Respondents saying current regulation of short-term rentals is not strict enough has dropped from 35% to 21%
• 87% want the same or more tourists coming to Palm Springs compared to 81% in 2018

"A rising tide lifts all boats," said Aftab Dada, President Palm Springs Hospitality Association and Vice President, Hilton Palm Springs. "Tourism leaders in Palm Springs consider vacation rentals to be a complementary industry to the hotel industry due to the huge demand, year round on weekends and for special events. There is a myth that the hotel and hospitality community do not support homeowner managed vacation rentals. Nothing could be further from the truth. A well balanced tourism economy demands just that: a balance of accommodations. The more options provided to our visitors, the more attractive Palm Springs is as a destination and the more people will eat in our restaurants, enjoy our recreational activities, and stay in our hotels. I salute VRON for their work and advocacy."

Vacation Rental Owners & Neighbors of Palm Springs is dedicated to preserving Palm Springs' vibrant history of vacation rentals and home-sharing through education, awareness, and the promotion of responsible vacation rental ownership and management. 

"Tourism, including vacation rentals, are a vital part of our economy, especially as we recover from COVID. This survey is a great way to understand the community support for the work we've done to make Palm Springs a fantastic place to live, work, and visit," said Palm Springs Mayor Christy Holstege. "VRON Palm Springs is exactly the sort of fact based, grassroots, community engagement that is key to what makes Palm Springs so special and attractive to visitors and residents alike."

About VRON Palm Springs:
VRON-PS' guiding principle is that tourism and residents in Palm Springs can co-exist through smart policies and best practices. Through research, open data, community involvement, collaboration, transparency and ethics, effective policies can be developed that create a win-win for neighbors, renters, businesses, property owners, and the community at large. VRON-PS represents both VR homeowners (whether they self manage or have a property management company), vacation rental property management companies, supportive non-VR homeowners, citizens who live and work in Palm Springs, and visitors to Palm Springs that share a common vision of responsible tourism and compliant vacation rentals and home-sharing.

VRON-PS exists to:

• Educate and communicate on ordinance requirements and best practices
• Represent VRON homeowners in meetings and negotiations with the City
• Manage media relations as it pertains to VRON-PS mission and objectives
• Facilitate factual reports and studies around VR data, impact and economics
• Build strategic partnerships with Coachella Valley tourism organizations in support of responsible VR ownership
• Provide funding for potential legal representation

Media Contact:
David Perry & Associates, Inc.
(415) 676-7007 / [email protected] 

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SOURCE Vacation Rental Owners & Neighbors of Palm Springs