Today, European Holiday Home Association (EHHA) has sent a public letter to the Mayor of Madrid, Mr. Martínez-Almeida Navasqüés, and the Mayor of Barcelona, Mayor Collboni on Why Short-Term Rental Bans Fall Short in Tackling Housing and Over-Tourism Challenges: A Fresh Strategy for Cities to Safeguard Affordable Living and Travel.
With just over one year for Member States and local authorities to prepare for compliance with the EU Regulation on short term rental data collection and sharing, the industry is concerned that a number of major touristic destinations persist in enforcing politically driven short term rental restrictions.
The European STR industry believes that severely restrictive short term rental regimes do not achieve the intended goal of tackling housing and over tourism challenges. We are therefore offering a fresh strategy for cities to safeguard affordable living and travel, based on the five principles we have listed in the public letter.
The STR industry invites cities to engage in a dialogue to address the challenges and opportunities within this sector, focusing on sustainable tourism practices, community involvement, regulatory frameworks, and affordable housing solutions.
To kickstart this collaboration, we propose organizing a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders, developing a shared vision for a sustainable future, formulating actionable plans, and establishing ongoing communication channels. By collectively harnessing our strengths, we can create a thriving environment that benefits tourists, local residents, and the broader community.