Airbnb sets up office in Brussels

American rental giant Airbnb has established a Belgian subsidiary in Brussels.

Airbnb Ireland said the main goal of the new Brussels office would be to "provide support to the other entities of the Airbnb group in the areas of business development and marketing", according to the deed of incorporation.

The City of Brussels has been fighting the proliferation of Airbnb properties on its territory for several years, as the often-vacant properties reduce the housing options for the capital’s residents.

Just last week, an owner had to remove his four flats in the tourist centre from the Airbnb platform following inspections by the city.

The Irish subsidiary is providing the new Brussels branch, which will operate from an office on Rue Joseph Stevens in the city centre, with start-up capital of €787,000.

Velma Corcoran, director of policy strategy at Airbnb for the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) zone, and Juliette Langlais, director of public affairs for the same zone, will be the first directors of the Brussels subsidiary.

As Brussels grapples with a housing crisis, a study from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) found that nearly half of Airbnbs in the Belgian capital are managed by investment companies, and at least 2,000 owners have been fined this year for failing to pay the proper related taxes.