We’re excited to share that in a quick turn of events, we have received formal state approval on the County’s Safety Plan to Reopen Short-Term Rentals! You can read our approval letter here.

Coming at an opportune time, just before Memorial Day weekend, we’re thrilled to see vacation rentals now permitted to take bookings over the holiday, allowing some to begin to recover from the financial hardships endured as a direct result of COVID-19.

The VCB will be holding a Webinar to walk you through the process of re-opening, on Friday, May 22, at 10:00 am. Connect with the following information:

Click Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

Click "join on the web instead" and the connection will open.

Or, call +1 786-633-4254  United States, Miami (Toll)

Use Conference ID: 296 517 445#

A few guidelines from Charlotte County’s Safety Plan include:

· Vacation rental reservations and stays will be allowed from all U.S. states with COVID-19 case rate less than 700 cases/100K residents
· Reservations from areas identified by Florida’s governor as COVID-19 hot spots through executive orders are to be avoided for the next 45 days
· Reservations from international travelers will not be accepted

For a complete overview of what Charlotte County’s Safety Plan to Reopen Short-Term Rentals entails, visit PureFlorida.com/industry/covid-19-tourism-small-business-industry-resources/vacation-rentals/.

In addition to the guidelines for reservations, health and safety of guests, and cleanliness of the properties outlined in Charlotte County’s Safety Plan, linked above, all our vacation rental partners are being asked to adhere to the Recommended Safety Measures and Other Best Practices as put forth by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation.

Please note, as of May 20, visitors from these states are not permitted to rent short term rentals according to our plan: New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Louisiana, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, and Michigan. Additionally, any Florida "hotspots" identified by the governor, including Broward County and Miami-Dade County, must wait 45 days from May 20 to rent.

We hope you all will get out and enjoy a safe, extended holiday weekend, while keeping in mind what matters most: Remembering and honoring Memorial Day and our Nation’s heroes. To all past and present U.S. servicemen and women, and from all of us here at the VCB, we thank you for your service!

Sincerely,
Wendie Vestfall
Tourism Development Director