Host Ecuador is the national short-term rental industry association for Ecuador, formally established as the Asociacion de Servicios Turisticos Temporales del Ecuador with legal personality No. 2024-024 from the Ministry of Tourism. The organisation has roots as a citizen collective dating to 2015 and is a pioneer in Latin America for securing formal government regulation of the STR sector. Host Ecuador played a central role in achieving Ministerial Agreement No. 2023-011, which created the category of alojamiento turistico en inmuebles habitacionales, published in the Official Register in September 2023. Host Ecuador provides a range of services and resources to its members and the broader STR community. These include legal guidance and regulatory compliance support, an educational Academy for hosts and operators, a Guest Magazine, the UStay booking platform, a Club de Beneficios membership programme with discounts for operators, the HOST FEST industry event, and an ONG arm focused on social impact. The association also provides step-by-step guidance for obtaining the national tourism registry (RNT) required for short-term rental operations. Host Ecuador serves individual Airbnb hosts, vacation rental operators, and property owners across more than 100 cities in Ecuador who need advocacy, legal protection, regulatory guidance, and professional development. Ecuador STR market generated 300,000 reservations in 2022 representing 12% of total tourism sector revenue, with over 25,000 accommodation units in operation. The association represents this sector at the national government level, making it the primary industry body for STR operators in Ecuador.
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