The Tasmanian Government has sold almost $50 million of Housing Tasmania properties in the past four years, State Parliament has heard.

Leader of Government Business in the Upper House Leonie Hiscutt revealed 372 Housing Tasmania properties had been sold since 2014 for a total of $48,599,798.

In the 2017-18 financial year, 77 Housing Tasmania properties were sold for a total of $11,133,798.

Of those properties almost half (38) were sold on the open market.

Airbnb urged members to oppose more restrictive regulation. ( Supplied: Airbnb )

Since 2014, 113 properties have been sold on the open market, however, a change to the recording system meant sales types were not available prior to January 2016.

The information was provided in response to a question on notice from Pembroke Labor MP Jo Siejka.

According to Ms Hiscutt, it is government policy to first offer Housing Tasmania properties to people eligible for the HomeShare or Streets Ahead programs to enable low-income households to enter the housing market.

When offers were not received from people eligible for the programs, or when there was fire damage or structural problems with the property, they could be sold on the private market.

Labor housing spokesman Josh Willie said the figures showed Tasmania's public housing portfolio had not been growing, despite the housing crisis.

He said the Government should be investing more in social and public housing.

"That's incredibly frustrating for community members who are waiting for a house, seeing houses that are empty for sale on the open market while they are couch surfing and sleeping rough," Mr Willie said.

"The Government has been announcing new houses but there have been no gains in the number of total houses when it comes to social housing.

"That is deeply concerning in the midst of a housing crisis."

The average wait time for priority applicants for Housing Tasmania properties is 72 weeks, with 3,412 people on the waiting list as at March this year.

Housing Minister Roger Jaensch said funds raised through the sale of Housing Tasmania properties could be put toward the ongoing construction of more social housing.

He said the benefits of selling were two-fold.

Firstly, because it provides opportunities for low-income Tasmanians to buy property under the HomeShare or Streets Ahead schemes, he said.

"It should also be noted properties that are sold are those deemed no longer suitable to meet current needs, and the proceeds from the sales are used to construct suitable properties," he said.

Mr Jaensch said the Government was continuing work on its affordable housing strategy.

Airbnb rallied members to oppose changes

Details of the sales came as submissions to the Legislative Council committee inquiry into short-stay accommodation were published.

The inquiry received 192 submissions, with a significant number of almost identical submissions from people identifying as Airbnb hosts.

Before submissions closed, Airbnb contacted people asking them to provide feedback to the inquiry through a link provided in an email.

According to a screenshot of the email, Airbnb warned that home sharing and travel could become harder and more expensive for hosts and guests if Tasmania's short-stay accommodation rules were changed.

The Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania (TICT) raised concerns in its submission that the cost burden was significantly higher for traditional accommodation operators than for hosts on short-stay accommodation platforms.

TICT chief executive Luke Martin said costs for traditional operators were higher for a range of business costs such as energy, insurance, rates, pay TV, waste collection and accreditation.

Mr Martin called for steps to be taken to ensure there was a "fair and equitable market".

The committee will hold public hearings in September and October.