AIRBNB-LIKE PLATFORMS CHOKE LISBON

A study conducted by the Statista portal revealed that Lisbon had the highest density of Airbnb rentals in Europe by the end of the third quarter of 2024, with 46.7 accommodations per 1,000 inhabitants. Specifically, the Portuguese capital hosts nearly 24,000 rental homes.

Paris ranks second in density of rentals through Airbnb-like platforms but has significantly more rental housing than Lisbon, with 90,000 rental units compared to Lisbon's 24,000. On November 7, the National Assembly in France formally passed the "anti-Airbnb" law to reduce the tax advantages associated with furnished tourist rentals. The primary goal of this law is to combat the eviction of permanent residents in high-demand areas by encouraging the availability of housing for medium- and long-term rentals.

Specifically, the law introduces a 30% tax allowance for annual rental income up to 15,000 euros, while the rate for unclassified furnished accommodation currently stands at 50% for income of up to 77,700 euros. For classified furnished accommodation and guest rooms, the allowance will now be 50% on annual rental income of up to 77,700 euros, down from the current 71% for income up to 188,700 euros.

Municipalities will now be able to reduce the maximum number of days that primary residences can be rented out for tourist purposes from 120 to 90 days, based on careful consideration. Also, French municipalities can establish quotas to approve furnished tourist accommodations and designate areas within their local urban plans to construct primary residences.

These measures aim to limit the impact of Airbnb-like platforms, which have been identified as a significant contributor to the housing crisis. In Barcelona, there has been ongoing criticism of this American rental giant, leading the mayor to ban the rental of furnished tourist accommodations by 2028.

When analyzing the density of Airbnb-like platforms’ rentals and the number of inhabitants, it becomes clear that saturation occurs in unexpected places. According to the study, Lisbon is the city most affected by Airbnb. Following Lisbon, Paris has a high density, with 45.7 accommodations per 1,000 inhabitants. Other towns identified in the study have much lower densities. Venice is ranked third, with approximately 33.2 Airbnb accommodations per 1,000 inhabitants. Barcelona and Amsterdam are less impacted by Airbnb, with densities of 11.4 and 10.5 accommodations per 1,000 inhabitants, respectively. In both cities, renting furnished tourist accommodation is limited to thirty days per year.