Charlottetown sailboat offering Airbnb experience

People visiting Charlottetown who want to stay close to the water now have the option to stay on it aboard a 50-foot sailboat.

For$225 a night, groups of up tofourpeople can rent out the Dolly Bird through Airbnb. The sailboat, which is docked in Charlottetown Harbour, isequipped with a double bed, kitchen, bathroom and a common area with pull out beds.

• New accommodation licences for vacation rentals increase this summer

Karen and Molly Aylward are partof five sisters who own the sailboat.

"I think it's the sense of freedom and adventure," said Karen Aylward. "You can sit out on the top deck and sit on that mattress and look at the stars and it's a beautiful place to spend the evening."

Deborah Dullenof Philadelphia and friends are staying on the sailboat for three days.

"We love sailing. And, we thought how nice it would be to stay in the harbour while we're here on P.E.I.," she said. "Hotels are sometimes not quite as much adventure as a sailboat."

Kevin Mouflier, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of P.E.I. (TIAPEI), said he is happy to see more non-traditional accommodation options on the Island.

Numbers released by the province this week show that the number of new accommodation licenses issued so far in 2017 is way up over previous years. About four times as many licenses have been issued so far this year than bythe same time last year.

The department of Economic Development and Tourism said the increase is due in part to people renting out their properties through sites like Airbnb.

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