Georgia Vacation Rentals Prepare To Reopen

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Tybee Island beaches were empty in early April as the city kept most beach access points closed. They are reopening soon. / GPB News

Georgia's short-term vacation rentals will be back in business Friday, after Gov. Brian Kemp’s restrictions expire. With coronavirus restrictions easing, vacation rental agents on Tybee Island are accepting bookings for May.

On Tybee Island, vacation rental agents stopped taking new bookings before the city or the state imposed restrictions.

But they are taking bookings for May and getting ready to reopen with added precautions.

Amy Gaster is co-owner of Tybee Vacation Rentals and part of the Tybee Island Association of Rental Agents.

"We are taking extra time to make sure that surfaces are properly disinfected, that our laundry is being laundered at our professional linen facility," she said. “We are definitely focusing on cleanliness, employee and guest safety as well as education during this time.”

Gaster said rental companies are staying flexible on changes and cancellations, so guests can reschedule if they're worried about COVID-19.

Tybee's beaches, meanwhile, will be more accessible as of this weekend. Although Kemp's stay-at-home order reopened the beaches in early April, the city of Tybee Island kept most beach crossovers blocked and beachside parking lots closed.

The city announced Tuesday it planned to begin reopening them, though an exact timeline for the changes was still unknown.