According to AirDNA, available Airbnb listings in Nova Scotia dropped more than 17 per cent between January and April this year.

"We will focus rebuilding with staycations and domestic travel encouraging Ontarians, and other Canadians, to visit our destinations."

The Minister of Tourism Caroline Proulx announced the government's first phase of deconfinment in the tourism sector on Wednesday.

While the Airbnb host was happy to fully refund Linda Murray's booking deposit, Airbnb charged her a $780 service fee anyway.

The number of domestic bookings in China for the first half of April were up more than 200 per cent compared with the same period in March.

Financially-overstretched landlords could be forced to sell, putting downward pressure on housing prices in large cities, economists say.

The future of Toronto's short-term rental sector is in question as a sharp drop in guests linked to the COVID-19 pandemic pushes some owners into the long-term market.

An Airbnb guest refused to leave his unit, according to police, saying he was suffering from severe COVID-19 symptoms.

The aid, which will pay hosts 25 per cent of their normal cancellation fees, is being offered globally except for China.

The measure goes into effect on April 1.