Young people want to see the world more than their parents. However, traveling is not the cheapest hobby, so they are looking for different ways to save as much as possible. That is why many of them prefer the Airbnb service, which offers accommodation at a relatively low price.
While it's praised by tourists, it's become a nightmare for locals. As Forbes reports, it's already been criticized since it officially launched in 2007. Property owners began offering short-term rentals, which have become a more affordable option for travelers than hotels. However, there was a limited supply of housing for locals, and prices began to rise.
This problem has been particularly noticeable in world capitals such as Barcelona, where residents are currently fighting against tourism, as it has had a significant negative impact on their daily lives in recent years. They also want to ban these "unregulated hotels", who must suffer in their neighborhood.
The mayor of this Catalan metropolis, Jaume Collboni, is also on their side. He claims that the housing crisis is the city's biggest problem at the moment. Housing in Barcelona has become downright unaffordable over the past ten years. Real estate prices there increased by 38% over the same period. In the case of rent, the increase was even greater, by 68% over the same period.
As a result, the Barcelona City Council took action and By 2028, it plans to cancel more than 10,000 licenses it has granted to property owners for short-term rentals. However, there is another problem related to this. If this accommodation option is completely removed from the tourism industry, there is a risk that hotel prices will increase. This will negatively affect not only travelers, but also tourism.
Regulations are also underway in other metropolises
This is not the only case where a country has introduced regulation or a complete ban on short-term accommodation. In 2014, Berlin banned them. Four years later, he allowed them again, but under stricter conditions.
Short-term rentals are more convenient for tourists than hotels. Source: pexels.comA similar situation occurred in Munich. Short-term rentals there have been limited to eight weeks per year. After that period, landlords must obtain a permit.
Regulations also began in Austria this summer. Hosts there can only rent out their properties for 90 days a year. The same limit has been set in Honolulu, Hawaii. In contrast, in Paris, apartments and houses can be rented out for up to 120 days a year.
The situation was worse for tourists and landlords in Amsterdam. Owners can only offer their properties for short-term rentals for 30 nights per year. As a result, the number of listings has decreased. There are currently only around 5,000 in the popular Dutch metropolis.
Lebanon has solved the problem of high tourist numbers in its own way. It has banned new registrations of short-term rentals in some historic districts, which has helped reduce housing prices by nine percent. In the capital of Mallorca, it is not possible to stay in apartment buildings. Only isolated family houses or villas are available.
Some cities have strict bans
There are countries where you won't be able to find a short-term rental at a good price. An example is the Malaysian island of Penang, where the option has been completely abolished. The Tuscan metropolis of Florence also tried to do the same last year. Although the ban only applied to the historic center area, it was recently overturned by a regional court. Other popular Italian destinations, such as Rome, Venice and Milan, are not ruling out restrictions.
The strict ban since last September also applies to New York. In the event that the tourist is not registered in the city and does not live in the apartment in the presence of another resident, the possibility of short-term rental is illegal.
In some countries, the option of short-term rentals has been banned altogether. Source: pexels.comDespite New Yorkers struggling with high housing prices, Airbnb has contributed only about one percent to overall rent growth. A bigger problem is excessive tourism, which impacts the lives of locals.
The Czech Republic will not avoid stricter conditions either
Czech Airbnb providers will face several new obligations from 2025. The issue of regulation has been addressed there since short-term rentals became the main source of income for many landlords. Prague has been trying to enforce it for a long time, but its steps have so far been fruitless.
Cities and municipalities lose tens of millions of crowns annually due to undeclared stays through platforms like Airbnb. In addition, they are also concerned about tourists who disturb the locals with their maladaptive behavior.
Excessive tourism in some countries negatively affects housing prices. Source: pexels.comStarting in the new year, landlords must register their guests through the e-Turista portal. V prípade, že tak nespravia, hrozia im 100-tisícové pokuty v korunách. Zároveň hostitelia budú musieť pod registračným číslom v registri uviesť dátum začatia svojej činnosti v danej lokalite, najvyšší možný počet lôžok či svoje osobné a kontaktné údaje.
Situáciu chce riešiť aj ministerstvo pre miestny rozvoj. Plánuje poskytnúť obecným správam právomoc, v dôsledku ktorej by mohli krátkodobé prenájmy regulovať oveľa prísnejšie.