A few months ago Airbnb entered into a partnership with the Bermuda Tourism Authority that involves marketing and the exchange of fees. Then, in December, it signed one with the British Virgin Islands. Remarkable, because Bermuda and the BVI are nothing if not upmarket destinations. What's more, Airbnb has now signed memorandums of understanding with 16 Caribbean governments, creating a new era of cooperation between those governments and a company that not so long ago was frequently accused of tax evasion.

And not just tax evasion. When I emailed a friend about this topic, he replied, "We're admittedly a little soured on Airbnb these days because of its destructive effects on local rents, overcrowding, and other issues in many areas that are already high-rent like New York City, San Francisco, Paris, and others. Has anything crossed your radar about how that might affect the Caribbean?"


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