Florence to Triple Airbnb Curbs, Banning New Short-Term Rentals Beyond Historic Center
Summary
Florence plans to significantly expand its ban on new short-term tourist rentals, extending it beyond the historic center to cover over 103,000 homes. The measure, expected to be approved in early June, will prevent new short-term lets for two years. This follows a 2023 ban in the historic center and reflects a broader trend of European cities struggling with housing pressure due to short-term rentals. While existing rentals are not immediately affected, this move significantly limits Airbnb's potential for supply growth in a major tourist destination. The city also plans to start reducing existing holiday lets after May 2028, signaling a long-term negative trend for the platform in Florence. The city council committee is expected to present the measure on Wednesday, with approval aimed for early June.
At the time of this announcement, ABNB was trading at $132.69 on NASDAQ in the Trade & Services sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $80B. The 52-week trading range was $110.81 to $147.25. This news item was assessed with negative market sentiment and an importance score of 8 out of 10. Source: Reuters.