Florence, Italy, has announced a ban on new short-term private rentals for tourists, such as through Airbnb, in the historic city center.
As The Independent writes, in this way the local authorities want to make housing more affordable for permanent residents of the city.
As one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy, Florence is facing the fact that its housing stock is being depleted by short-term rentals (less than 30 days). At the same time, it is predicted that such housing will be offered to tourists in the historical center at rather high prices, thus depriving the city residents of the opportunity to get good housing at affordable prices.
In total, Florence has about 11,000 real estate properties that are available for short-term rent. At the same time, more than 70% of private property that is rented out in the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
At the same time, the city authorities emphasize that the ban will not affect the already registered 8,000 objects in the city center – it will apply only to those who want to put their housing up for short-term rent for the first time.
Instead, the government plans to offer tax breaks to homeowners who will rent out their properties long-term.
As reported by DIP, Florence was previously among the top 5 cities in Europe with the most expensive hotels in 2023. As of June, a night in a three-star hotel here will cost an average of $250.