The Associate Issue #1 July 2023

STAA MEMBERS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE #01

JULY 2023

Our flagship event is back for 2024!

We’re back at the fantastic Billingsgate Market. P9

We’ve partnered with Family Holiday Charity to support families facing tough times.

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WWW.UKSTAA.ORG

EVENTS@ UKSTAA.ORG

STAA MEMBERS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE

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#01 JULY 2023

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4 Saxby MP, Shomik Panda 5 Selaine Inline Policy, James Starkey TravelChapter and Andy Fenner STAA on route to Parliament

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UPCOMING

EVENTS!

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STAA MEMBERS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ISSUE

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WELCOME TO OUR NEW NEWSLETTER!

Dear STAA Members,

Don’t forget, the easiest way to grow our association is by us giving you free membership! Yes, our referral Welcome to our new look newsletter! scheme means the more members you get to join the We’ve given our monthly newsletter a makeover. less you pay, you could even pay nothing at all! Get in We aim to make our updates more colourful, touch for details and your unique referral code. engaging, and enjoyable to read. I hope this Together, we can bring a bigger and brighter future will help us share the exceptional things we are for our industry. working on with all of you. If you have anything you’d like to add to future newsletters please Looking forward to hearing from you and continuing our journey together let me or the team know.

I’d also like to extend an invitation to all our members Best regards, and allies in the tourism sector to contribute to our community by sponsoring a page in our newsletter.

Your sponsorship will help us continue our work in driving our industry forward, while also offering you a unique opportunity to share your brand and values with our ever-growing network. If you’re interested in ANDY FENNER, Chief Executive, sponsorship, or if you would like more information on STAA what this entails, please feel free to get in touch with me directly.

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JUNE WAS PRIDE MONTH!

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We made our commitment to diversity visible with graphics on our social media channels and our amazing Rainbow logo. We also backed this up with actions by hosting the first diversity and inclusion working group session. Diversity & Equity has an ever increasing part to play in our businesses and the STAA will guide and help you with every aspect. We have already started working to develop a guide to help businesses become a more inclusive environment for their employees and guests alike.

If you would like to join this group or for any information or questions, please email Hannah at hannah.fuchs@ukstaa.org

As June is Pride Month, the STAA is proud to stand with everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community this month and every month.

We proudly stand with all LGBTQIA people in the thousands of small business across short Term Rentals.

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LOBBYING FOR OUR INDUSTRY On 7 June, we submitted our two consultation responses to the UK Government.

The first one is on details of a registration scheme and the second one is on the introduction of a new use class for short-term lets. You can find our final consultation responses here and here.

To further our efforts to create a sustainable environment for our industry, we have met with Selaine Saxby MP. Meanwhile in Edinburgh, the Court of Session found part of the city’s short-term let licensing policy unlawful. I have commented on this decision here.

We are also in the process of responding to the Scottish Government’s consultation on council tax for second and empty homes, and thresholds for non-domestic rate. Thank you for everyone’s input to develop a strong industry position.

Looking ahead, I will meet with the Scottish Minister of Housing Paul McLennan MSP in July to discuss how the Scottish Government can create an environment that support the thousands of hosts Scottish communities depend on.

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ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORISATION LAUNCHES THIS YEAR

The Home Office and the STAA organised a webinar on the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme for STAA members in June. Every shortterm visitor travelling to the UK and not otherwise requiring a visa will need to get an ETA.

The ETA will start coming into effect on 15 November 2023. To see the initial timeline of countries joining the scheme and for more information, visit the government’s website here. If you missed the webinar and would like to look through the slides, you can find them here.

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WORKING WITH OUR INDUSTRY

The Sykes Cottages team

June was truly a month of celebration and collaboration, culminating in the annual Visit England Awards for Excellence, held at an extraordinary location—the Harry Potter film set at Warner Bros Studios!

Our CEO, Andy, had the honour of judging the awards earlier in the year, and was thrilled to participate in the big day, watching the deserving winners take home their accolades. The shortterm letting industry was impressively showcased at the event with Sykes Holiday Cottages as co-sponsors and Amanda Couples and the Airbnb team in attendance. They were last seen exploring the Harry Potter set with Andy and heading towards Hogwarts! We’d like to say congratulations from all of us to all the short term rental businesses that entered the awards!

Our chair, Merilee Karr, was across the pond in New York at the Skift conference talking about regulations affecting our industry. Back in London Andy joined the CIPD for the festival of work and was talking about the people who are at the heart of our industry.

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UPCOMING

EVENTS! CREAM OR JAM FIRST?

MEET US IN FALMOUTH TO FIND OUT...

We are thrilled to announce that Travel Chapter is sponsoring our inaugural regional, in-person members meeting.

This eagerly anticipated event will take place on July 27th at The Falmouth Hotel. It’s an occasion we are particularly excited about, as Travel Chapter’s CEO Jayne McClure and her team will be joining us.

Our very own CEO, Andy Fenner, who is always eager to connect with members face-to-face, will also be present. We genuinely hope you can join us for this special gathering. To secure your place at the event, please click on the provided link. It promises to be a memorable occasion filled with stimulating discussions and networking opportunities. Click here.

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SUMM-IT-UP! We’re still recovering from the huge effort of this year’s summit has Diane, Leo, Mike and the team are already working hard on Summit 2024!

We’re back at the fantastic Billingsgate Market but 2024 is promising to be the best yet!

Diane has lots up her sleeve but we’ll be sure to let you know how things are progressing and the exciting developments.

Our flagship event is back for 2024! Join us at the Short Stay Summit on 24 April 2024 at the Old Billingsgate, London!

This year we sadly had to turn away exhibitors, always great to have a packed summit but we never want to disappoint. We will have a bigger exhibition area next year but we’d encourage all members to please book as soon as you can.

If you are interested in sponsoring or exhibiting, please contact events@ukstaa.org to make use of the early bird rate until 1 August!

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NEW PARTNERSHIP OFFERS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE TO FAMILIES FACING TOUGH TIMES We are delighted to announce that the STAA is partnering with the Family Holiday Charity! Dedicated to delivering happiness, the Family Holiday Charity organises holidays for families across the UK experiencing challenging circumstances.

Can your business help a family in need?

Get in touch with us now.

Read more about the families being supported click here.

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These families are usually referred by professionals and, interestingly, about half have never indulged in a holiday before. Despite facing significant hurdles like mental health issues, long-term illnesses, the pain of bereavement or the lasting impact of domestic abuse, they continue to inspire us with their resilience.

Through our partnership with the Family Holiday Charity, we aim to bring some joy and relaxation into their lives.

Kat Lee, Chief Executive of Family Holiday Charity commented “I am delighted that we are partnering with STAA UK to raise funds and engage their membership in our mission for inclusion in tourism. This will mean that the charity is able to give even more families the gift of time and space away together. The charity is funded by donations, and so partnerships like this mean we can make a bigger difference.

We’re looking forward to working with the bright and inspiring team at STAA UK to help as many families as we can to have confidence and hope for the future after their holiday”.

Short Term Rental businesses are the heart of the communities they are based in and the people in those communities are shaping the industry’s future. The STAA is committed to forging connections with communities across the country and fostering the industry’s growth in a sustainable and responsible manner.

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ARMED FORCES COVENANT Armed Forces Day takes place every June, ahead of this year’s event we were proud to announce our endorsement of the Armed Forces Covenant - a commitment we take to heart.

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This government-led initiative is our pledge to those serving as reservists, cadet instructors, and to our veterans.

At STAA, we take our responsibilities seriously. We strive to uphold the value of the dedicated work performed by our armed forces community.

We have pledged to work with our industry peers to ensure the invaluable contributions of our military community are duly recognised. We’re devoted to discovering ways to assist reservists and cadets in juggling the sometimes tricky balance between their careers and service life. Our Covenant signature is more than just a formal agreement; it is our heartfelt commitment to support those who serve tirelessly to protect us.

UK SHORT TERM ACCOMMODATION ASSOCIATION ___________________________________________________ We commit to uphold the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the contribution that Service personnel, both regular and reservist, veterans and military families make to our organisation, our community and to the country.

Signed on behalf of: UK STAA Signed: Name:

Andrew Fenner

Position:

Chief Executive

Date:

22/06/2023

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HOW TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE SHORTTERM RENTAL SECTOR AND SUSTAINABILITY TRENDS July members meeting and webinar on 17 July, 10:30 BST

Webinar outline James will discuss the increasing guest demand for sustainable stays. Based on 15 years experience as a full time professional landlord, James will share what he has implemented in his portfolio about the no-cost and lowcost measures hosts and property managers can take to reduce energy/water bills.

Speaker: James L Tanner, STAA member, 15 years experience as a landlord, developer, energy efficiency consultant, speaker and running sustainability workshops for kids www.jtannerproperties.co.uk

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REFERRAL SCHEME Do you want to pay less for membership?

With our referral scheme you can!

Savings are just a referral away!

Our referral scheme is designed to reward your loyalty - for every new member you introduce who joins the association, you’ll receive a discount on your subsequent year’s membership. It’s a win-win!

We’re in the process of enhancing this scheme, with improvements being rolled out throughout July and we promise to keep you updated via email on all the exciting developments. Remember, the more referrals you make, the more you save - it’s as simple as that! Let’s make the most of our STAA community together.

Contact us with need any help or advice?

Contact info@ukstaa.com To book a place at any of our events: events@ukstaa.org Want to refer a new member? enquiries@ukstaa.org

The Short Term Accommodation Association Supporting the responsible growth of the short-term accommodation industry Industry advice – learn more about the issues affecting your business.

Networking – meet fellow people from your industry and beyond.

Best practice – how to improve your business and increase profitability. www.ukstaa.org info@ukstaa.org