Putting tourism in a more positive light has long been the goal of Summit County’s vacation rental industry, and now it’s stepping up its efforts with concrete incentives for short-term rentals.

The Summit Alliance of Vacation Rental Managers recently launched its first certification opportunity: Good Neighbor Certification. Alliance Executive Director Julie Koster introduced the initiative and its mission to change anti-tourism sentiment in the community at an Aug. 22 presentation to municipal and county officials, short-term rental license holders and community members.

“We’ve all heard a lot from neighbors who are upset about the vacation rental next door, and we want to change that,” Koster said. “The certification is intended to alleviate that resentment by showing that our industry is committed to being fantastic neighbors.”

She said the certification is free for property managers and owners who are members of the Summit Alliance of Vacation Rental Managers.

Koster said the goal of the certification is threefold. It is to expand the knowledge base of any property manager or homeowner, provide a better experience for our guests and demonstrate “a higher level of professionalism” to the community, Koster said.

The framework for certification is the Good Neighbor Guidelines that already exist in Summit County and its municipalities. Policies include requiring guests to be informed of local fire codes, requiring guests to have a rental management contact available 24 hours a day, and requiring guests to be informed of local quiet hours, including those related to parking and trash/recycling.

Those who receive the certification can use a badge for promotional purposes and on marketing materials.

Koster said that while it is an ambitious goal, she would like to see every vacation rental owner in Summit receive this certification.

“We know that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch,” she said, noting that part of her effort will be to make those “bad apples” aware of the certification and guidelines.

She added that she would like to see affiliated providers, such as homeowners associations and commercial providers, also seek these certifications to further solidify the community effort.

To achieve Good Neighbor certification, individuals must have a valid short-term rental license, commit to complying with all Good Neighbor policies listed on the Summit Alliance of Vacation Rental Managers website, train appropriate rental management staff on the policies, and promote the policies to guests.

Koster said there will be another safety certification from the Summit Alliance of Vacation Rental Managers sometime in September.

For more information about the Good Neighbor Guidelines, visit SAVRM.org/gn-guidelinesFor more information on how to apply for certification, visit SAVRM.org/good-neighbor-certification.