British Columbia vacation property owners are reeling after Booking.com abruptly terminated their rental listings without warning, leaving both hosts and travelers in disarray during peak tourism season. The sudden cancellations have sparked outrage among property owners who relied on the platform for substantial portions of their income.
Sunshine Coast property owners Sherry and Robert Kirkvold discovered their listings had vanished when they attempted to check upcoming reservations. “I went to log in one day and couldn’t access our account,” Sherry told CO24. “No email, no notification—just locked out completely with all our summer bookings gone.”
The Kirkvolds, who manage two vacation properties in Roberts Creek, estimate they’ve lost approximately $40,000 in bookings for the upcoming summer season. Their experience isn’t isolated, as dozens of other BC property owners report similar situations across vacation hotspots including Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and the Okanagan.
Booking.com representatives informed affected hosts that their properties were removed due to “inconsistencies with platform policies,” but many owners claim they received no specific explanation about which policies they allegedly violated. The platform’s terms of service allow for immediate termination of accounts, but the lack of warning has drawn criticism from tourism industry experts.
“This highlights the vulnerability of small operators who rely on major booking platforms,” said Michelle Travis, tourism analyst at the BC Hospitality Association. “When platforms hold this much power over someone’s livelihood, there should be clearer communication protocols in place before such drastic actions are taken.”
The timing couldn’t be worse for affected hosts, coming just as BC’s tourism sector anticipates its strongest recovery season since the pandemic. Many hosts scramble to list their properties on alternative platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, but rebuilding reviews and visibility takes time—a luxury they don’t have with summer nearly here.
For travelers who had already booked these properties, the situation has created confusion and disappointment. Booking.com indicates they’re working to relocate affected guests to comparable accommodations, but with limited inventory in popular destinations during high season, many visitors face uncertain vacation plans.
Tourism industry advocates are calling for greater regulation of online booking platforms to protect both hosts and travelers. “These platforms operate with minimal oversight despite their enormous influence on local economies,” said Jenifer Miller, director of the Independent Accommodation Providers Association. “What we’re seeing is the downside of this power imbalance.”
When contacted for comment, Booking.com provided a statement saying they “occasionally review and remove properties that don’t meet our quality and service standards” but declined to comment on specific cases. The company did not address concerns about the lack of warning or communication with affected hosts.
As summer approaches, affected property owners face difficult decisions: some are considering legal action, while others focus on rebuilding their rental businesses on alternative platforms. The situation raises important questions about digital dependency in the tourism industry: when tech platforms hold the keys to small business success, what recourse do entrepreneurs have when those platforms change the rules?
