CORTLAND, N.Y. — Cortland County and Airbnb have announced an agreement to allow the online hospitality company to collect and remit county hotel occupancy taxes.
The agreement, which takes effect on Sunday, is expected to grow the county's tax base.
There are currently 21 local hosts in the county and more than 1,000 guests who visit the Cortland area every year, according to data provided by Airbnb.
“We’re excited to work with Cortland County to welcome more visitors to the region and grow the county’s tax base before ski season kicks into high gear," said Josh Meltzer, head of New York Public Policy for Airbnb.
With the agreement, Cortland becomes the 17th county in New York State where Airbnb automatically collects and remits occupancy tax. Other counties that have adopted such an agreement include Tompkins, Schuyler, Onondaga, and Seneca counties.
"We encourage all counties in New York State to adopt these collection agreements to ensure equity among all those that provide lodging services," Donnell Boyden, Cortland County Legislative Chairman, said in a statement Friday.
More than 2 million people used Airbnb services in New York State in 2016. A typical host earns about $5,500 per year by sharing their home for an average of three nights a month.
