Airbnb to crack down on New Year’s Eve parties in Utah

People worried about a noisy New Year’s Eve at the vacation rental next door could get at least some assurance that it won’t happen this year, at least at properties managed through Airbnb.

The popular online short-term rental website announced Friday it plans to “draw a hard line” with a New Year’s Eve party ban, refusing rentals on certain one-night bookings during the holiday “for entire home listings in Utah and throughout the country.”

The company says it started testing such bans in 2020 and saw reports of party-related incidents drop by more than 50%. In Utah, more than 1,300 people were deterred by “anti-party defenses” during 2021, according to a company spokesperson.

“We encourage Utah neighbors to reach out with any issues so that our specialized Safety team may investigate and support,” said Lisa Cohen, a company spokesperson.

Short-term rentals like those offered through Airbnb remain popular in southwestern Utah, although most municipalities regulate or even ban such rentals. There were nearly 500 rentals in the St. George metro area advertised on the website as still being available for Saturday night.

Officials in Washington County estimated there were more than 5,500 short-term rental properties in Washington County, and likely more that were unlicensed or not following ordinances or paying taxes.