Lauren H. Carson - Providence Business News

TWO CRUISE SHIPS docked in Newport during a previous summer season. City and tourism officials are concerned about a proposal to increase the fees that large ships are charged during visits to the City of the Sea. COURTESY DISCOVER NEWPORT

McKee’s cruise ship fee proposal creating a storm in Newport

Editor's Choice 04/03/2026

A proposal by Gov. Daniel J. McKee to increase cruise ship passenger fees in Newport has ignited a firestorm among elected officials and business...

Legislative panel wades into ‘emotional issue’ of short-term rentals

Coronavirus 11/24/2023

State and local officials agree the growth of short-term rentals such as those on Airbnb and VRBO has disrupted Rhode Island’s housing market, but...

The A.I. angst: Businesses, workers grapple with navigating uncharted tech territory

Cover Story 08/18/2023

For most of the 10 years she has operated TIB Creative Studio LLC in Providence, graphic designer Theresa Barzyk has relied on a low-tech...

Carson receives James McCarvill Leadership Award

Government 02/17/2023

REP. LAUREN H. CARSON, D-Newport, recently received the 2022 James McCarvill Leadership Award from the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. The award, named...

Newport bans whole-home short-term rentals in residential zones

Government 04/01/2022

NEWPORT – Whole-home short-term rentals, which are commonly offered through services such as Airbnb and Vrbo, are no longer allowed in city residential zones. The...

Cox defends $120M plan to upgrade state’s broadband infrastructure

Economy 03/17/2022

PROVIDENCE – Cox Communications' $120 million plan to upgrade Rhode Island's broadband infrastructure is not enough for three state lawmakers, including Rep. Deborah Ruggiero,...

CHRISTOPHER C. BICHO stands in a renovated, antique firehouse in Newport in 2019. He rents the firehouse as an Airbnb site. Bicho says he doesn't mind registering his site with a regulator, but he thinks oversight of short-term rental properties should be handled by either the state or the local government, not both. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

Will R.I.’s new short-term rental property registry be too burdensome?

Government 01/14/2022

Now that every short-term rental property in Rhode Island listed on online sites such as Airbnb and VRBO will be required to register with...

Legislation to create state registry of short-term, third-party rentals moves forward

Government 06/23/2021

PROVIDENCE – Legislation that would establish a short-term rental registry across Rhode Island was approved this week by the R.I. Senate. The bill, S0501A, is...

DRAMATIC CHANGE: Tom McGinn, captain and president, and Kristin Stone are co-owners of Providence Riverboat. After the company joined the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, it shifted its business model from cocktail cruises to catering to the tourism industry and nearly tripled its revenue in the first year, Stone said.  / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Tourism: In search of coordination

Cover Story 07/26/2019

The Providence Riverboat Co. once served primarily local customers. Its boats would take groups out on the Providence River for cocktail cruises, leaving from...