It is important that you make sure that you can share your space. Sometimes there are restrictions in the contracts, laws or regulations of joint ownership that do not allow this. Additionally, there may be obligations to comply with rules, regulations and/or contracts that apply to the activity, with which you must be in compliance at all times. We recommend that you seek advice from a specialized professional, the person in charge of building administration or the local authorities to obtain more information about the regulations, restrictions and obligations that apply to you.
You can use the general information in this article as a starting point to learn the regulations and the necessary permissions you need to share your space.
On occasion, Airbnb may share your information with the competent authorities in accordance with the applicable regulations, if they duly require it.
Some areas in Colombia are subject to special environmental protection. Particularly, National Natural Parks usually have local restrictions for accommodation services. Make sure your space complies with such local regulations and sharing your space in your area is not prohibited due to additional environmental protections. These restrictions are local, so we recommend you consult with a suitable professional to know what you should take into account to share your space.
Remember that in Colombia it is forbidden to transport, commercialize, take advantage of, traffic or exploit wild flora and / or fauna in an unauthorized manner. If you have knowledge that your guest has carried out any of these acts, inform the authorities immediately
Colombian laws prohibit the provision of tourism services to minors who are not accompanied or authorized by at least one of their parents or legal guardians. Warn your guests about this requirement to avoid inconveniences upon arrival at your space. Remember that minors are all those under 18 years of age.
In case of knowing about the possible commission of a crime or a risk of violation of the rights of children or adolescents, immediately inform the authorities.
Keep in mind that the legal consequences of said violation of rights consist of the following: (i) The assets, income and gains generated by real estate where commercial sexual exploitation of minors and human trafficking occurs, will be subject to asset forfeiture, in accordance with Law 1336 of 2009, which will be used to finance the Fund against the Sexual Exploitation of Minors; (ii) In accordance with Law 679 of 2001, the infractions provided for in this law will generate fines for the offender of up to 300 monthly legal minimum wages, temporary suspension from the National Tourism Registry, and cancellation of the National Tourism Registry, without prejudice to the penalties for the applicable crimes. If you have any questions on this subject, we recommend that you seek advice from a professional who is an expert in the field.
Remember that according to current regulations you must register in the National Tourism Registry at this link: Registro Nacional de Turismo - RNT.
In accordance with “Article 2.2.4.1.2.2. Of the general requirements for registration and renewal in the National Tourism Registry” of Decree 1074 of 2015, modified by Decree 1836 of 2021 for registration and renewal in the National Tourism Registry, all tourism service providers must comply with the following general requirements:
1. Be previously registered in the Mercantile Registry when the status of merchant is held, in accordance with the provisions of the Commercial Code, except in the case of a company domiciled abroad, or in the registry of non-profit entities in the case of a non-profit entity.
2. Fill out all the information requested for each type of provider through the electronic registration, update, or renewal form in the National Tourism Registry, available for this purpose on the websites of the chambers of commerce.
3. Fill out the technical capacity in the electronic form, by listing the electronic, magnetic and mechanical elements placed at the service of the company in which the service is provided.
4. Fill in the operational capacity in the electronic form, by describing the organizational structure and the number of employees, indicating the level of training of each of them.
5. Fill in the electronic form the information corresponding to the net worth of the natural or legal person, according to the provider category, and declare if the Financial Statements were submitted to the competent authority when there is need for it.
6. Adhere to the code of conduct that promotes prevention policies and avoids commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in their tourism activity, in accordance with the provisions of Law 1336 of 2009 and 679 of 2001 or the regulations that modify them.
7. In the case of providing tourist services within areas of the National System of Protected Areas or the National Natural Parks System of Colombia, adhere to compliance with environmental regulatory standards in order to promote the conservation and integration of cultural, natural and social heritage.
8. When the tourist housing service is provided in properties subject to horizontal property regime, you must declare that the private units that comprise it are authorized by the regulations for the provision of tourist accommodation services, in accordance with article 34 of the law 1558 of 2012.
9. In accordance with article 53 of Law 915 of 2004, tourism service providers with an establishment, premises, or property located in the Department of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, prior to registering with the chamber of commerce, must register and obtain permission from the Departmental Tourism Secretariat.
Keep in mind that this article also establishes that if you do not have the status of a merchant, you can ignore the requirements set forth in numbers 3, 4, and 5 of the same. Also, remember that you must register your properties separately in case you have more than one (in the same way at the time of RNT renewal).
Once you obtain your registration number, you must include it in the publication of your space on the Airbnb platform in the "National Tourism Registration Number" field, which will be visible to all potential guests.
In follow up to the Tourism Law 2068 and Decree 1836, hosts who do not have a registration number and have not included it in the profile of your ads will not be able to share their spaces located in Colombia on digital platforms as of August 23, 2022.
On the other hand, keep in mind that:
* “These are commercial establishments that provide tourist accommodation services with a permanent offer. These include, but are not limited to, hotels, including among these cruise ships in which hotel services are provided, aparthotels, hostels, vacation centers, glamping camps, shelters, hostels, camping areas and all those that maintain a regular offer in the lodging service” (Article 2.2.4.4.12.2 of Decree 1074 of 2015; modified by Decree 1836)
Registration in the National Registry of Tourism is valid for one year and must be renewed within the first three months of each year, where the date of initial registration by the provider of tourist services is not of interest, unless it is done within said term provided for herein, in which the registration will suffice. Said renewal will allow you to update the information provided at the time of registration or ratify the information originally provided.
The registration information must be updated annually and when there is any change. For this, you must log in to the RNT website by entering your username and password number and start the online renewal process. After you complete it, expect to receive confirmation of it within 15 business days from the respective Chamber of Commerce.
Remember that at the time of updating the RNT, you must have settled and paid the last four quarters caused by the concept of the Parafiscal Contribution (2.5 per thousand of operating income) according to current regulations.
In case you decide to suspend the activity, you must inform the chamber of commerce in advance about the suspension and the date on which the activity will resume, in which case the registration will be suspended for the duration of the inactivity.
Also, keep in mind that the chambers of commerce will proceed to cancel the registration in the National Tourism Registry in the event that you do not update your National Tourism Registry for two consecutive years.
In accordance with article 22 of Law 2068 of 2020, please remember that you must keep the registration information of the guests, through the Accommodation Registration Card (Tarjeta de Registro de Alojamiento, in Spanish) in the system that, for all purposes, the National Government of Colombia has put in place.
The Accommodation Registration Card is the tool that the Colombian tourism authority has provided for tourist accommodation service providers to keep the respective record of the people they host.
All providers of tourist accommodation services, including tourist homes, which are grouped into:
Other types of lodging or tourist accommodation must also do so, in which spaces can be found within houses that are rented for tourist accommodation purposes.
First of all, you must be registered in the National Tourism Registry and you must have your active number.
In addition to that, you must have access to the email that you reported on the RNT platform, because at that address you will receive the token or password that will allow you to implement the TRA.
Depending on the technological capabilities you have, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism has enabled different mechanisms to implement the TRA system.
The Ministry established an API (Application Programming Interface) to guarantee interoperability between software managed by different providers of tourist accommodation services.
If this is your case, in this link you can find the step by step to carry out the implementation of the system.
If this is your case, the Ministry has developed a module in which you can register each of your guests online.
If you want to know more about how this system works, find all the information at this link.
If you do not have a permanent internet connection, the Ministry designed an Excel template with the necessary fields to fill out the TRA, in which you can keep track of all your guests.
The information that is collected monthly must be reported on the first business day of the following month.
If you want to know more about how this system works, find all the information at this link.
In accordance with Law 1581 of 2012 on the protection of personal data, we remind you of the following general obligations that, among others, you must take into account when sharing your space:
Adopt adequate security measures for personal information.
Have authorization from the owner if necessary. Keep in mind that you can only process personal data of minors with the authorization of their parents or guardians.
Have communication channels so that guests can contact you in relation to their personal data.
In the event that any authority requires you to provide information, we recommend that you review the applicable legislation on the protection of personal data. It is important that you seek advice from experts in the field so that you can be clear about what you can do with the personal data of third parties and what additional obligations and measures you must take into account.
We recommend reading the document prepared by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism "Sustainable tourism policy: United by Nature" (Executive summary available here) which highlights sustainability as a fundamental pillar for the development of tourism in Colombia as a factor in the competitiveness of tourism businesses and local social and cultural development.
Likewise, we recommend that you review the public information that the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism has made available to promote responsible tourism including correct waste management, the importance of wildlife trafficking prevention, how to protect the wealth of Colombian cultural heritage, and how to protect the rights of children and adolescents in the context of travel and tourism.
Also, you can find here responsible tourism recommendations of the Medellín mayor's office.
You should review the local recommendations that have been issued by local government and health authorities and make sure you comply with them. This guide contains information on health and safety protocols, but keep in mind that they may not be up to date so you should always check with your local authority.
Additional Resources:
The cleaning protocol is complementary to the local guidelines and regulations issued by government authorities. The San Ignacio de Colombia University Hospital has reviewed and endorsed Airbnb’s advanced cleaning protocol.
The safety of hosts and their guests on the platform, as well as their homes and community is one of Airbnb's top priorities. In this sense, a new Assistance Line for Neighbors in Colombia that allows neighbors to submit written and telephone complaints about shared spaces on specific Airbnb. This Helpline will make it easier for neighbors to contact Airbnb in the event of any inconvenience related to a nearby space, allowing community members to quickly and efficiently report possible infractions of community regulations.
Also, to contribute to the peace of mind of your guests, you can leave instructions with useful information for emergencies and warn them of any possible risk.
Here are some tips that can help you prevent accidents due to the handling of gas or fuels in the space you share and that we suggest you share with your guests:
In case of detecting the smell of gas, follow the following indications:
In the event that there are gas cylinders in the space you share, we suggest that you bear in mind the following indications:
The correct operation of appliances, such as heaters or air conditioning devices, is essential, as it can greatly affect the stay of your guests. There are many ways to ensure that your guests feel at ease:
Being a responsible host is, in part, helping your guests understand how best to engage with your community. When you explain to your guests what the local rules and customs are, you help create a great experience for everyone.
Talk to your insurance company or agent to determine what type of obligations, limits and coverage you need based on your particular circumstances. Keep in mind that Law 2068 of 2020 in its article 32 requires that you have a liability insurance policy against damage to guests and third parties. The aforementioned policy must cover any claim that occurs during the provision of the tourist accommodation service. At a minimum, you must cover the risks of death, permanent disability, temporary disability, injury, damage to third party property and medical expenses.
AirCover includes Host Damage Protection and Host Liability Insurance, providing basic coverage in the unlikely event that a guest causes damage to your space or belongings or is injured, or has their belongings stolen or damaged while staying. We also include people who help with host activities, like co-hosts or housekeepers, so you can feel confident staying on Airbnb. Please note that such protection and insurance is not a substitute for homeowners insurance, renters insurance, or liability coverage and therefore you may need to cover other insurance requirements in addition.We strongly encourage all hosts to review and understand the terms of their insurance policy coverage. Not all insurance plans will cover damage or loss of property caused by a guest making a reservation.Learn more about AirCover here.
Visit the Airbnb Tax Resource Center which has a selection of articles and resources to help you better understand your tax obligations.
We recommend that you carefully review the Consumer Protection Statute, the regulations that regulate it and the guides of the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce. It is important that you consult with experts on the subject to prevent any violation of the Colombian consumer protection regime.
In accordance with the Statute of Consumer Protection (Law 1480 of 2011), we remind you of some general obligations that, among others, you must take into account when sharing your space: