Shows / STR Unpacked
STR Unpacked
STR Unpacked is a short-term rental industry podcast that reviews the key news stories of the week alongside an invited sector expert, providing commentary, insight and practical interpretation of how current developments are shaping the market.
Episodes
- STR Unpacked
England's short-let register was due this month. It's not here yet.
The government promised a mandatory national registration scheme for short-term lets in England by April 2026. No system. No guidance. No enforcement…
- STR Unpacked
The short-term rental industry is descending on London next week.
Short Stay Summit. 22 April. Old Billingsgate. 1,500+ operators, investors, platforms and policymakers. Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, Guesty and Hostaway all in…
- STR Unpacked
Airbnb just published a report that reframes the entire European STR debate.
And the timing is deliberate with the EU's data-sharing regulation kicking in on 20 May, they're making their case now. The headline stat: more than 8 in 10…
- STR Unpacked
Italy's short-term rental crackdown just entered a new phase.
Forget the tax changes for a second. Florence, Bologna and Rome are all preparing new local STR regulations expected in the coming weeks. And the template…
- STR Unpacked
Barcelona's STR ban is still 2 years away.But the market is already moving.
New data published this week shows demand is shifting from short-term rentals to hotels in central Barcelona — as enforcement tightens and supply contracts…
- STR Unpacked
Paris city officials are knocking on doors in Montmartre.
Key lockboxes on every door. Residents describing their building as "a living hell." What they found: a block full of illegal Airbnbs. Fortune's new…
- STR Unpacked
Greece is freezing Airbnb permits on its most famous islands and the map keeps getting bigger.
Mykonos. Santorini. The Cyclades. Under the new Special Spatial Planning Framework, Greece is moving to block new STR permits in its most tourism-saturated…
- STR Unpacked
Nearly 1 billion short-term rental nights booked across Europe in 2025.
Eurostat's full-year data puts the figure at 951.6 million guest nights — up 11% on 2024 and 32% on 2023 — booked via Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia. Eunews…
- STR Unpacked
The STR industry gathers in London in three weeks. The timing is everything.
Short Stay Summit 2026 hits Old Billingsgate on April 22nd — and it lands 28 days before the EU's data-sharing regulation kicks in. From May 20th, platforms…
- STR Unpacked
Amsterdam just halved its Airbnb limit. Today.
As of April 1st, hosts in the city centre can rent to tourists for a maximum of 15 nights a year. That's it. Not 30. Not 60. Fifteen. The cap covers all 10…
- STR Unpacked
Paris is coming for your Airbnb. And the rest of Europe is watching.
The city's deputy mayor for housing has put a number on it — 20,000 apartments he wants reclaimed from the short-term rental market. Investigators are already…
- STR Unpacked
Spain just refused to let Airbnb dodge a €64 million fine.
Madrid's High Court ruled this week that the platform must pay in full now while its appeal works through the courts. The fine covers 65,000+ listings…
- STR Unpacked
Barcelona isn’t waiting for 2028 enforcement is already defining the market today.
In Barcelona, authorities are keeping steady pressure on illegal short-term rentals as the city moves toward eliminating all tourist apartment licenses by…
- STR Unpacked
Europe just flipped the switch on STR enforcement!
Europe just flipped the switch on STR enforcement and most operators don’t see it coming. We’re moving from: ❌ Complaint-driven enforcement ➡️ To ✅ Automated…
- STR Unpacked
Europe STR regulation is no longer “coming” it’s landing.
Europe STR regulation is no longer “coming” it’s landing. 🇪🇺 EU-wide rules go live May 2026 → mandatory registration + platform data sharing 🏨 Industry groups…
- STR Unpacked
Good news in Europe STR? Yes, if you’re playing it right.
Barcelona enforcement isn’t breaking news it’s an escalation. But here’s the upside: 📈 Strong forward bookings across Southern Europe 📊 Increasing regulatory…
- STR Unpacked
This one could be BIG for European STR operators. 'EC -Inc'
The EU is working on a concept often dubbed “EU Inc” 👇 → Easier cross-border business setup → Less admin in multiple countries → Digital identity + compliance…
- STR Unpacked
The STR debate in Europe just took a turn
New reporting from ITB Berlin is putting Airbnb’s stance back in focus: 👉 Even in cities with strict STR rules… rents are still rising That challenges the core…
- STR Unpacked
A different kind of “good news” in Europe STR today
t’s not about demand. It’s about clarity. Across parts of Europe, the trend is shifting from: ❌ vague, confusing rules ➡️ to ✅ clearer, more structured…
- STR Unpacked
“Most Hosts Get Direct Bookings Wrong! Here’s What Actually Works in 2026”
Everyone in short-term rentals talks about direct bookings. But here’s the reality: most of them are doing it wrong. In this episode, Ben is joined by Boostly…
- STR Unpacked
Spain STR operators this is one to watch.
The Middle East conflict is already shifting global travel patterns: ➡️ Tourists avoiding Gulf destinations ➡️ Demand redirecting into Europe ➡️ Spain seeing…
- STR Unpacked
Europe’s STR market is entering a distribution shift.
Europe’s STR market is entering a distribution shift. As regulations tighten across cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona and Paris — and with the EU’s new STR…
- STR Unpacked
Nice is tightening enforcement on short-term rentals
Nice is tightening enforcement on short-term rentals and it’s another signal of where Europe is heading. Authorities in Nice are increasing inspections and…
- STR Unpacked
Most European STR markets have always depended on one thing: summer. Is that changing?
Most European STR markets have always depended on one thing: summer. But that may be starting to change. New data shows off-season travel in Europe is growing…
- STR Unpacked
Norway is quietly introducing a new tool for cities to control tourism
Norway is quietly introducing a new tool for cities to control tourism and it includes short-term rentals. The government has approved legislation allowing…
- STR Unpacked
Europe’s short-term rental market is quietly professionalising.
Europe’s short-term rental market is quietly professionalising. As regulation tightens across major cities, a clear shift is happening: 👉 Professional…
- STR Unpacked
The UK’s first tourist tax is officially coming.
📍 Edinburgh will introduce a 5% visitor levy starting 24 July 2026. The tax will apply to: • Hotels • B&Bs • Short-term rentals, including listings on Airbnb…
- STR Unpacked
🇮🇹 Italy is tightening the tax regime for hosts.
Europe’s short-term rental crackdown is quietly expanding. Three signals operators should be watching right now: 🇮🇹 Italy is tightening the tax regime for…
- STR Unpacked
🇬🇷 Greece is tightening the screws on short-term rentals.
Reports this week indicate the government is planning to freeze new STR licences in Athens and other high-pressure cities as officials try to address housing…
- STR Unpacked
A new front is opening in the European STR debate, tourism resorts.
🏔 In the French Alps, towns like Chamonix are facing housing pressure as more properties shift into short-term rentals. Local workers are struggling to find…
- STR Unpacked
Who Really Shapes the STR Industry? Inside TruVisionaries
In this episode of STR Unpacked, I’m joined by Humphrey Bolwes, Founder and CEO of Truvi, to talk about TruVisionaries and the bigger conversation it’s sparked…
- STR Unpacked
HOTREC and EFFAT are actively pushing EU policymakers to tighten short-term rental regulation
Today’s bulletin ran closer to 90 seconds and that was deliberate. Some stories simply can’t be squeezed into a soundbite. Across Europe, HOTREC and EFFAT are…
- STR Unpacked
Is Spain’s STR market unstable? Not exactly.
Yes — Barcelona has doubled its tourist tax and plans to phase out tourist apartment licences by 2028. Yes — tensions are visible, including reported lockbox…
- STR Unpacked
🚨 Europe STR Bulletin Granada Leads Today 🚨
In Granada, activists reportedly superglued 500 STR lockboxes overnight in protest against housing pressure and tourism impacts. At the same time, Barcelona…
- STR Unpacked
Europe STR News , Barcelona Leads Today
Barcelona has doubled its tourism tax with STR guests now facing levies of up to €12.50 per night, and total overnight taxes reaching as high as €15 in some…
- STR Unpacked
Spain is tightening reporting obligations under its national STR registry
Spain is tightening reporting obligations under its national STR registry with potential suspension of registration numbers for non-compliance. At the same…
- STR Unpacked
🇬🇷 Greece Leads Europe’s STR Momentum into 2026
While much of Europe’s short-term rental market is normalising, Greece is showing resilience — and selective growth. 📈 Greece recorded double-digit increases…
- STR Unpacked
Croatia moves to regulate STRs in high-pressure tourist zones.
🇭🇷 Croatia moves to regulate STRs in high-pressure tourist zones. 🇪🇸 Spain reportedly considering wider anti-overtourism policies. 🏙️ Barcelona and other major…
- STR Unpacked
Short-term rentals are increasingly being linked to rising rents. But is that correct?
Europe’s STR debate is turning political. Across the EU, short-term rentals are increasingly being linked to rising rents, housing shortages, and overtourism…
- STR Unpacked
Airbnb Testing Sponsored Listings? Here’s What We Know.
There are growing industry reports that Airbnb is testing paid visibility and sponsored-style placement features in select markets. This is not a full global…
- STR Unpacked
UK Short-Term Let Regulation: It’s Coming, But It’s Not Done Yet
Great news for clarity! The UK government is moving forward with a national short-term let registration scheme and new planning rules. The register is targeted…
- STR Unpacked
Could regulation actually support STR pricing in Europe?
Across several European markets we’re seeing: • Removal of non-compliant listings • Clearer licensing systems • Strong tourism demand holding steady When…
- STR Unpacked
If you’re operating short-term rentals in the UK, you need to listen to this.
Supply is up. Demand isn’t keeping pace. Occupancy is tightening, especially outside prime city markets. And now regulation is moving. The HM Government is…
- STR Unpacked
Strong demand especially in high-end segments but continued regulatory heat across major cities.
Luxury rentals are outperforming in several southern European markets, yet housing-driven scrutiny and tighter local rules remain a defining theme across the…
- STR Unpacked
Southern Europe demand is holding despite the regulatory noise.
New data from Eurostat shows short-term accommodation demand across Spain, Italy and Portugal remains strong heading into the spring season. Even as cities…
- STR Unpacked
Airbnb just made a strategic leadership move in Europe and it’s not random.
Airbnb has appointed Lisa Marçais as General Manager for Northern Europe & MEA a region that includes some of the most tightly regulated and politically…
- STR Unpacked
Budapest has just become one of Europe’s clearest warning signs for short-term rental operators.
🇭🇺 Budapest District VI (Erzsébetváros) — the city’s main nightlife and tourist zone — has confirmed a full short-term rental ban from January 2026. Existing…
- STR Unpacked
Europe’s short-term rental rules are shifting from local patchwork to coordinated EU action.
🚨 Brussels is shaping a Europe-wide STR regulatory framework as part of the EU’s Affordable Housing Plan, expected to land later in 2026, with registration…
- STR Unpacked
Regulation across Europe is tightening, but not in the way many operators expected.
Some cities are restricting new short-term rental supply, while others are increasing taxes and oversight. Yet demand for travel and STR income remains…
- STR Unpacked
Regulation in the short-term rental sector isn’t coming, it’s already here.
Across the European Union, new short-let registration and data-sharing rules are giving cities real enforcement power for the first time. Platforms like Airbnb…
- STR Unpacked
The new EU and UK short term rental regulation - How will it affect you?
The conversation delves into the new EU and UK short term rental regulation, its impact on operators, and the need for compliance. It also explores the…