Transcript

Paris is coming for your Airbnb. And the rest of Europe is watching. · STR Unpacked

Ben: Morning and welcome to your short-term rental bulletin. This morning, Paris is declaring war on illegal Airbnbs and it could reshape the entire European short-term rental market. The city's deputy mayor for housing has vowed to reclaim 20,000 apartments currently operating as unlicensed tourist rentals. Investigators are already targeting properties with key boxes on their door, a telltale sign of a full-time commercial operation. And the message from City Hall is blunt, quoting, we want to show that from now on, it is not a great investment. This isn't just a Paris story. With the EU's new data showing regulation kicking in on the 20th of May, requiring platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com to hand over host data to authorities, enforcement is about to get a whole lot easier right across the continent. Airbnb is pushing back. Arguing that strict regulation hasn't actually helped residents pointing to Amsterdam where 50 % drop in short-term rental stays still saw tourist numbers rise 12 % with hotels picking up the slack and hiking the prices. But regulatory tide is turning spade Italy and Germany are tightening the screws. The question for operators now isn't whether regulation is coming. It's whether your business model survives it. That is your bulletin for today. I'll see you tomorrow.