Lisbon Wants to ‘Get Rid of Airbnb’ Once Pandemic is Over

The aim is to sign up 1,000 rentals this year. So far they have had 177 applications.

“We’ve paid a social price,” said Medina. “Essential workers and their families have increasingly been forced out as Airbnb-style holiday rentals have taken over a third of Lisbon’s city center properties, pushing up rental prices, hollowing out communities and threatening its unique character.”

In a statement, Airbnb said that it “helps local families stay in Lisbon and 60 percent of local hosts say the additional income they earn from hosting means they can pay the bills and support their families.”

Medina’s plan does not mean “we don’t want tourism or need visitors to return to Lisbon as quickly as possible”, he adds.“It’s simply time we do things differently and visitors will ultimately benefit”.

Why do tourists love Airbnb?

Mayor Fernando Medina’s decision to get rid of Airbnb as soon as the COVID pandemic is over does not please tourists. Indeed, this famous Portuguese city attracts a lot of visitors, yet organizing a tourist stay there is not often easy. An organization like Airbnb offers services that make this task easier. To understand this, we simply need to list the different offers of this agency.

For starters, before booking a trip, the customer can compare prices of airbnb in lisbon with cozycozy.com. Thus, he can choose the proposal that suits him. Rentals with this provider are always available in a local neighborhood, where the visitor can share his days with the locals, taste the local food and soak up the culture of the country.

The main advantage of this offer is its affordability. Indeed, the cost of hotel rooms in this city is very high, this organization allows people who wish to do so, to have a pleasant stay in Lisbon with an affordable budget. In addition to the attractive rates, this provider offers its customers a significant comfort. Also, it gives the possibility to organize trips for couples, families or friends, renting for example a whole apartment at very affordable prices.

It is understandable that visitors do not agree with the decision of the mayor of Lisbon.

The Portuguese capital is not the only European city hoping to curb Airbnb’s prospects.

Ian Brossat, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of housing, said in May that COVID-19 and subsequent fall in short-term rentals provided the city with “a unique opportunity to switch properties previously listed on Airbnb to conventional rentals and ensure that they again benefit Parisians.”

The French capital is looking at buying properties bought as investments and leased exclusively as short-term rentals from landlords who have been hard-hit by the COVID-19 crisis.