London, New York, San Francisco, and Barcelona Set the Stage for Paris’ Ninety-Night Airbnb Cap with Heavy Penalties: New Travel Updates You Need to Know – Travel And Tour World

Paris, one of Europe’s most beloved destinations and a hotspot for Airbnb stays, is following in the footsteps of major cities like London, New York, San Francisco, and Barcelona as it moves to tighten restrictions on short-term rentals. With 95,000 listings currently available, Paris is gearing up to enforce a new 90-night annual cap on Airbnb rentals, coupled with heavy penalties for non-compliance.

Paris Joins Global Cities in Cracking Down on Short-Term Rentals

Much like the restrictions in London and San Francisco, Paris will now limit short-term tourist rentals to 90 nights per year. Hosts found exceeding this cap will face steep fines of up to €15,000. The new law, passed by the French government in May 2024, received broad political support and is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.

The move aims to tackle the 20% of Paris rentals operating without licenses and reduce the dominance of commercial operations on Airbnb. Data reveals that 89.3% of Airbnb listings in Paris are entire properties, with 31.7% of hosts managing multiple listings. Leading hosts include international property companies like Blueground and Veeve, which together offer over 1,300 listings.

Severe Penalties for Non-Compliance

Paris’ regulations mirror the strict enforcement seen in cities like New York and Barcelona, imposing harsh fines for illegal operations:

• €100,000 fines for unlicensed rentals or fraud.
• €50,000 fines for platforms hosting illegal listings.
• €10,000 fines for failing to register as tourism rentals, doubled to €20,000 for false declarations or fake registration numbers.

Concierge services managing bookings for non-compliant properties could also face penalties of €100,000.

Boost for Small Hotels and Local Communities

As in Barcelona, where reduced Airbnb listings are designed to alleviate housing shortages, Paris’ crackdown is expected to benefit boutique and independent hotels. Additionally, fewer short-term rentals could help restore neighborhood culture, making city-center living more accessible for Parisians.

For tourists, the reduced availability in Paris may encourage exploration of other French cities, such as Lyon and Bordeaux, mitigating overtourism’s impact on central Paris.

Divided Opinions on New Rules

As seen in New York and other cities, Paris’ regulations have sparked debate. While many locals welcome measures to reduce housing shortages and rowdy tourism, associations representing holiday rental owners argue the laws are too restrictive. The European Holiday Home Association and UNPLV have raised concerns about the law’s alignment with EU rules and its potential negative effects on families reliant on hosting for income.

Airbnb echoes these sentiments, suggesting that stricter limits will benefit large hotel chains, increase accommodation prices, and harm local hosts.

Learning from Global Examples

Paris is building on lessons from London, New York, San Francisco, and Barcelona, which have already imposed strict short-term rental laws. While hotels in these cities have reaped benefits, critics note unintended consequences, such as higher accommodation costs and the rise of unregulated underground rentals.

Impact on Tourists

With Paris welcoming 47.6 million visitors last year, the new rules could reshape the city’s tourism landscape. Reduced Airbnb options may shift travelers toward traditional hotels, increase costs, or even push tourists to explore less popular destinations.

Paris’ journey to regulate short-term rentals is a bold step, drawing inspiration from global leaders in the field. Whether it strikes the right balance between curbing overtourism and maintaining affordability remains to be seen.