FLORENCE WANTS TO BAN AIRBNS

One of Europe’s most visited cities, Florence has now announced that it has plans to ban short-term rentals like Airbnb.

If the legislation is voted in next Wednesday, it’s expected to be active by November, just before the Christmas holidays. The law will ban any further properties in the historic Italian city of being registered as short-term rentals.

Florence Dario Nardella, the mayor of Florence, said in a statement that the legislation is very important and that its aim is to tackle an emergency situation of total deregulation.

“We are witnessing a progressive growth in the influx of tourists which has become even more pronounced since the pandemic.”

Since the move was announced, about 4,000 new registrations have been made with people still hoping to get their short-term rentals registered before the legislation takes effect.

CNN reports that figures from the city council shows that 75% of Florence’s short-term rentals are concentrated in just 5% of the municipal territory in the city’s centre.

Nardella said authorities are taking action to protect the city’s global heritage.

“We are putting a simple ban in the UNESCO area to meet our responsibilities of protecting the cultural and material identity of the centro storico, and to dampen the effect of rent increases across the entire city – which are directly linked to the boom of short-term tourist rentals.”

Image credit: Love and London