Fair short-term rental rules protect the right to live, host and travel affordably in Europe
Short-term rentals (STR) provide hosts with flexibility to boost their income, and offer guests authentic and affordable options to discover Europe.
According to a new report from Oxford Economics commissioned by Airbnb, STRs have generated €128 billion in guest spending, supported €149 billion GDP, created 2.1 million jobs, and contributed nearly €40 billion in total tax revenue across the EU in 2023. The majority of this directly supports local economies.
The report highlights that short-term rentals have transformed the way Europeans travel:
- 4 in 10 guests on Airbnb use STRs to explore their own country, and EU citizens account for 62% of travellers hosted across the region.
- In 2023, more than half of EU stays on Airbnb took place in non-urban areas, with nights spent in rural areas more than doubling since 2020, bringing significant benefits to rural communities.
- 39% of guests on Airbnb travel as families, demonstrating how STRs can cater to family needs better than traditional options.
- During major events like the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, STRs provide scalable solutions that ease accommodation shortages and stabilise prices, reinforcing their value beyond Europe’s traditional tourism ecosystem.
A Balanced Approach to Regulation
The report underscores the need for targeted, evidence-based solutions to ensure that short-term rental regulations achieve their desired outcomes. Overly restrictive regulations, however, can lead to unintended consequences for European cities. For instance, in Paris, a near prohibition on second-home short-term rentals has failed to prevent rents and property prices from rising. Similarly, in Amsterdam, strict limits on short-term rentals have led to a 50% drop in STR stays, yet tourist overnight stays have still grown by 12% since 2019. In these two cities, hotels have absorbed this demand for accommodation, often at the expense of local families and hosts, while driving up travel costs for visitors. Hotel prices in Paris have surged by 77%, even with the addition of 4,000 new hotel rooms in 6 years.
New EU STR rules now provide clear guidance to platforms and authorities on how to share data, whilst making it simpler for hosts to register with their local authority. With this data, local authorities are expected to establish informed, targeted tourism policies. Airbnb is committed to making this new regulatory framework a success and supporting a vibrant and sustainable future for Europe’s tourism ecosystem.
Read More About:
- 2024 Oxford Economics Report on Harnessing the Short-Term Rental Advantage in Europe
- EU Pledge: New rules and a sustainable future for Europe
- Technological considerations to streamline data-sharing under the EU’s STR proposal
