GST treatment of short-stay accommodation

This draft interpretation statement updates IS 20/04 Goods and Services Tax: GST treatment of short-stay accommodation and QB 19/09 “Can I register for GST if I supply short-stay accommodation to guests in my home or holiday home? 

This draft interpretation statement discusses the GST treatment of short-stay accommodation provided by hosts either through an electronic marketplace (such as Airbnb or Bookabach) or directly to guests. The statement approaches GST from the perspective of someone considering providing short-stay accommodation for the first time, and follows the lifecycle of a taxable activity of providing short-stay accommodation from initial registration through to de-registration.

The statement covers situations where a host offers accommodation to the guest in the host’s home (and they might list a room, a sleepout or the entire property), holiday home or a property exclusively used for that purpose.