Airbnb is calling time on guests being obliged to perform check-out chores that “take significant effort or would typically be performed by a cleaner” in a further step towards the “hotelification” of Airbnb stays.

The short-term letting giant has updated its community policy, specifying that guests should only be asked to do a limited set of household chores and should not have to perform end-of-stay tasks such as “stripping the bed, taking trash offsite, or washing and putting away dishes.”

In a statement, an Airbnb spokesperson explained: “House rules help guests understand what hosts expect, but we’ve heard from our community that they can be confusing, onerous, and hard to manage. So, we’ve redesigned them to make them easier to discover and clearer to set, alongside a new policy that keeps requests reasonable, with no surprises.”

Under the guidance, hosts cannot impose fines for unperformed check-out chores, and Airbnb says it will challenge any guest obligations that are not in the spirit of the policy. What’s more, any set “cleaning fees” can only cover a standard tidy-up between bookings.

Hosts will be able to appeal the rules if there are particularly good reasons for imposing a tidying rule. Examples could include the property being located in back country, where leaving trash out in the open can attract bears and pose a threat to wildlife, neighbours, owners, and passersby.

To avoid guests experiencing any uncertainty about what the expectations are, house rules must from now on be clearly visible on the listing page, as well as in the trips tab, and in all reservation reminders. They can include up to seven standard conditions, on the following: check-in and check-out hours, and any set “quiet” times, how many guests or pets are permitted in the property, smoking, and commercial use of imagery and film.

For guests, the improved clarity on what they can be asked to do at the end of a break is likely to bring some relief, especially for anyone with mobility issues, young children, or particularly tight schedules, for whom some tasks could represent a burden.

Meanwhile, for some hosts, the new guidance comes as a surprise. One Airbnber who has been renting out her UK family home occasionally for nearly two decades, as well as going on breaks in other Airbnbs, told Travel Tomorrow she had not yet been officially informed of the change. Her own list of end-of-stay tasks is published in the house guide she has written, which she does not think is visible to guests before they book. It includes “stripping the beds, putting used linen in the bath, and leaving the home as they found it” which she said she does not consider “unreasonable, especially as they are clearly staying in someone’s home and not a professional hospitality environment.” She added that her expectations are no more onerous than any house rules she has experienced elsewhere. She also noted that she had never had any complaints and always receives highly complimentary reviews about the “relaxed, trusting, home-from-home atmosphere” her property offers.

Yet, that view of Airbnb as providing a “home-from-home” seems increasingly under threat. After its emergence as a start-up “disruptor” to the traditional hospitality model in 2008, the latest development brings Airbnb further in line with classic competitors such as hotels and guest houses. It comes as local authorities and entities such as the European Union continue to review and tighten legislation about how short-term lets are governed, in a bid to protect both regional housing markets and the wider hospitality sector.

L’article Airbnb sets new limits on house rules and checkout chores est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The news follows a preliminary investigation, which included an analysis of the risk assessment reports submitted by Booking.com in 2026 and the preceding three years, information published in its transparency reports, and the company’s replies to the Commission’s formal requests for information sent on 23 September 2025 and 26 May 2026.

According to a European Commission spokesperson, the research revealed that the number of scams reported on Booking.com rose by 500 per cent between 2022 and 2024, with fraud totalling 4.2 billion euros in 2024. 

According to the European Commission, Booking.com may have breached the Digital Services Act (DSA) on three specific subjects.

Firstly, the Commission will examine whether the provider of Booking.com has properly identified and assessed the systemic risks linked to the dissemination of illegal content. Fake listings, such as for non-existent properties, impersonation fraud, and non-compliant accommodation offers may have negative effects on consumer protection. The investigation will also assess whether the platform has put in place effective measures to mitigate these risks, including by removing fraudulent and non-compliant listings.

Secondly, the investigation will determine whether the provider of Booking.com has diligently assessed and addressed the risks that phishing scams pose to consumers. The research will focus on risks related to the way reservation and guest data is shared with accommodation providers, and the design and functioning of Booking.com’s messaging service. The Commission will also examine whether the company has put in place sufficient safeguards to prevent data from being misused to carry out phishing and solicit fraudulent payments.

Finally, the Commission will investigate whether Booking.com complies with the DSA’s advertising transparency obligations. Accommodation providers can make their listings more visible in Booking.com’s search results by paying a higher commission but users should be able to clearly recognise that these ‘boosted listings’ are in fact advertisements. 

Booking a holiday should be exciting, not risky. Europeans deserve to book with confidence, knowing platforms are taking their safety seriously. We’ll make sure they live up to their responsibilities. More: https://t.co/PdRBQHxfJN https://t.co/PaxZGfGH6J

— European Commission (@EU_Commission) October 21, 2026

The Commission will also examine whether, for each advertisement shown on Booking.com, users can easily see who is behind, who paid for it, why they are seeing it and how they can change the settings that determine which ads they see. This matters as under the DSA, users are entitled to understand when, and on whose behalf, an ad is shown to them. Without this, they cannot tell whether a listing appears prominently because it matches their search or because the accommodation provider paid for that visibility.

“Europeans should be able to book their holidays without fear of being scammed. The Digital Services Act sets clear responsibilities on platforms to address these risks, and we must ensure that the leading booking platform in Europe takes those responsibilities seriously,” said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, in a statement.

Now that the formal proceedings have been opened, the Commission will carry out an in-depth investigation while it will also be able to take further enforcement steps, such as interim measures and non-compliance decisions. Moreover, through the investigation, the Commission is empowered to accept commitments offered by Booking.com to remedy the matters subject to the proceedings.

If the Commission finds Booking.com to have broken the rules and if the platform refuses to change its policies, the Commission could impose fines amounting to up to 6% of the company’s turnover.

L’article European Commission launches investigation into Booking.com over fraud and scam allegations est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

For the 2026 European Hotel Distribution Study, Professor Roland Schegg of HES-SO Valais-Wallis and HOTREC surveyed 2,713 hotels throughout Europe. 1,882 of those concerned individual hotels from 28 countries, while 831 were hotel-chain properties.

The results are remarkable. On the one hand, direct bookings prove to remain resilient. Approximately half of hotel bookings (51.3%) are made directly with the hotel. This includes bookings through websites, email, telephone, and walk-ins.

On the other hand, Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) seem to be deeply embedded in hotel distribution. I 2026, they accounted for 29.9% of hotel room bookings, up grom 19.7% in 2013. An increase of more than 10 percentage points over 12 years, while the share of direct bookings declined by 6 percentage points.

The OTA market is also increasingly dominated by a small number of stakeholders. Booking Holdings accounted for 60% of European OTA bookings in 2013, while it stands at almost 70% in 2026. Together with Expedia Group, the two largest global groups now account for more than 85% of all OTA bookings in Europe. For Europe’s independent hotels and SMEs, this means an increased dependency and a risk to innovation in the sector.

“Hotels need digital platforms, but they also need genuine choice. Growing concentration must not translate into growing dependency. Europe’s hotels, most of them SMEs, need a competitive and transparent marketplace where they can choose how to reach their guests and remain in control of their own business,” stated Alexandros Vassilikos, President of HOTREC.

Moreover, bookings through OTAs do are not only a concern when it comes to market share and commission costs. According to the European Hotel Distribution Study, 51% of hotels report that OTAs undercut their prices frequently or occasionally, while 80% of those did not agreed to the lower price being offered. Meanwhile, more than 44% of hotels report OTA multi-sourcing, meaning rates or availability can be redistributed through other platforms or intermediaries, leading to price inconsistencies, guest confusion, billing difficulties, incorrect information, and reduced control over inventory.

“Europe’s digital rules are not only about search engines, social media or app stores. For thousands of hotels, a gatekeeper platform stands directly between the business and its guest. With 85% of OTA bookings going through just two global groups, robust enforcement of the Digital Markets Act is essential to protect competition, expand consumer choice, support innovation and safeguard Europe’s SMEs,” commented Marie Audren, Director General of HOTREC.

HOTREC finds the survey underlines the importance of Europe’s digital rules for the hospitality sector. The association sees Booking Holdings as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), while the Platform-to-Business Regulation (P2B) is at risk under the proposed Digital Omnibus. The DMA thus needs to be effectively implemented and enforced, and the P2B Regulation’s essential transparency and fairness safeguards need to be preserved.

In the study, HOTREC underlines that such protections are vital to ensure that hospitality SMEs retain meaningful control over pricing, payments, distribution, data, and guest relationships, while giving the next generation of hospitality entrepreneurs room to grow.

L’article Booking and Expedia account for 85% of Europe’s OTA market, HOTREC study finds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Commission’s aim is to make the rules for short-term rentals more consistent across the bloc and reduce legal uncertainty. Cities including Barcelona, Paris and Venice have already taken their own steps to limit the effects of platforms such as Airbnb on local housing markets. Those measures range from tighter quality standards and pauses on new licences to outright bans, leaving a patchwork of rules that has prompted legal challenges.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the proposal as part of the EU’s wider effort to address the cost of living. In a statement, she said it would help to “tackle Europe’s housing affordability” by giving local authorities and communities clearer guidance that remains “anchored in local realities.”

#EU: Share of 'entire property' short-term rentals in total conventional dwellings per Functional Urban Area (FUA).

Indicator Measured: The percentage of residential dwellings listed as full-home short-term rentals (e.g., Airbnb listings) compared to local housing stock.

EU… pic.twitter.com/RSoDmB3xRD

— Apostolos Kleitsogiannis (@apostolos_kl) September 14, 2026

Under the proposed approach, however, local authorities could not restrict short-term rentals without evidence of a housing problem. Relevant indicators might include a high ratio of property prices to local incomes or a sustained rise in housing costs over at least a decade.

These criteria are intended to show that any restrictions are necessary and proportionate. That could make them easier to defend against claims that they breach EU law, including the rules governing services. Rental providers have already brought such challenges in cities including Barcelona, where authorities are attempting to scrap 10,000 short-term rental permits. Barcelona would be likely to meet the proposed conditions: over the past decade, rents have risen by nearly 70%, while home purchase prices have increased by 38%.

Europeans need more affordable homes. Rents are soaring & demand is outpacing supply.

Too many homes are being treated as assets instead of places to live.

With the Affordable Housing Act, we are giving local authorities the possibility to take action within EU law.

↓ pic.twitter.com/cqKuuPvOAS

— Dan Jørgensen (@DanJoergensen) September 9, 2026

The proposal builds on earlier EU action. In 2024, the European Parliament adopted measures designed to improve transparency in the short-term rental sector. However, those rules operated on an “opt-in/opt-out” basis, so Member States were not required to take part. The new draft would still need approval from the relevant EU governments and the European Parliament before it could take effect, a process likely to take months. If adopted, it would be the EU’s first framework for aligning housing measures across the bloc and would form part of broader efforts to rethink how European tourism is managed.

Critics argue that the framework may still rely too heavily on self-regulation and therefore fail to prevent disproportionate local rules. Alexandre Roure, Head of Policy at the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe), said: “Without independent scrutiny or effective redress, this proposal will remain a paper tiger, leaving disproportionate restrictions in place and undermining the legal certainty the Affordable Housing Act is meant to provide.”

L’article Why is the EU tightening rules on short-term rentals? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Some apartments in the host neighbourhood of Valdebebas have seen rental prices increase by as much as 1,000% for the race period, from 11 to 13 September 2026, according to real estate agents in the Spanish capital and local media reports. Euronews found one flat in the district listed on Airbnb at €11,400 for four days, described as “a house designed for VIP groups”.

Other luxury properties, including those in the city’s historic heart and areas such as Salamanca, Chamberí, Chamartín and Los Jerónimos, are being listed at up to 10 times their usual rates, according to local media reports.

Hotel room rates have also gone through the roof, reaching an average of €1,071 per night for the race weekend, an increase of 147% compared with the previous week, according to consultancy Simon-Kucher.

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It’s a phenomenon that goes beyond accommodation. Unsurprisingly, with tens of thousands of motorsport fans expected to descend on the city, parking spaces in local garages are going for as much as €500 over the race weekend.

The demand is being driven by the sheer number of motorsport fans who want to see the race. Around 120,000 tickets have been sold, while 345,000 people are expected to participate in Grand Prix-related activities across the city. More than 80,000 visitors are expected to travel to Madrid for the event, including around 45,000 international spectators. The influx is anticipated to generate €467 million and nearly 9,000 jobs, according to analysis from PwC.

The Grand Prix joins Shakira’s Madrid residency and Celine Dion’s return to live performance in Paris among the major events on Europe’s autumn calendar that are pushing tourism demand and receipts to new levels.

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Despite those economic positives, some Madrileños may be glad to see the back of the F1 race, although it is set to return annually for the next decade under the current contract. Residents have formed protest groups such as “Stop Formula 1 Madrid” to oppose a project they say “will only create noise and mobility problems for thousands of households and workers”. They also cite studies suggesting the event will “be a significant source of air pollution”.

For now, residents will have to see how the inaugural race affects their neighbourhoods, with many reportedly fitting properties with noise meters to monitor the disturbance. As the general director of a local golf course affected by a partial closure for the weekend put it: “Let’s see how it goes this year. It’s the first time, so we don’t really know how it’s going to go. So we will wait, and then we can have discussions with organisers again.”

L’article Madrid Formula 1 Grand Prix pushing rental prices to record highs as residents face growing pressure est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The listing was created by Which? Travel researchers on 18 June and presented 10 Downing Street as a “1 bedroom apartment in the heart of London”. It used the exact address of the UK prime minister’s official residence and a photograph of its recognisable black front door. The property description claimed it was in a “prime city-centre location” and just a four-minute walk to the Houses of Parliament.

The researchers deliberately set the property so that guests had to request a stay rather than being able to book automatically. They then briefly opened the booking window for around 20 minutes so a Which? representative could make a test reservation.

During that short period, 14 people reportedly contacted the listing asking whether they could stay at the property. The Which? researcher’s booking for a week-long stay was accepted, and Booking.com processed a payment. According to Which?, the money had still not been refunded more than six weeks after the listing was created.

The experiment also tested the platform’s review and messaging systems. On 11 August, Which? added a fake 10/10 review describing the supposed stay as “exceptional” and referring to “hanging out with Larry the cat”, the cat associated with 10 Downing Street. Although Booking.com indicated that the review would be checked by moderators, Which? said it appeared almost immediately. 

Researchers also used Booking.com’s internal messaging system to send an external link asking the supposed guest to enter credit card details to confirm the booking. Which? said the link was not blocked, despite Booking.com having told the watchdog that it could restrict URLs in messages when fraudulent activity was suspected. 

The fake listing remained online until 27 August, around six weeks after it was created. Which? said the investigation had uncovered “systemic security failures” and called on Ofcom to investigate Booking.com’s compliance with its obligations under the Online Safety Act. 

According to Which?, under Booking.com’s policies, hosts are not required to provide photo ID or proof of ownership until three months after a listing goes live.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “If Booking.com’s so-called sophisticated AI systems can’t spot that 10 Downing Street is not a holiday rental, then it’s no wonder scammers can exploit the platform so easily.” He added that the consequences for holidaymakers could be serious, with travellers potentially losing thousands of pounds to fake listings and phishing links.

“Booking.com’s checks are clearly unfit for purpose, and the Prime Minister must now urge Ofcom to use the Online Safety Act to crack down on irresponsible online platforms that leave consumers wide open to fraud,” Boland added.

Booking.com disputed the significance of the test, saying it was “not a true reflection of the experience of millions of listings on our platform. The property added by Which? was not visible to customers or ‘live’ for the time period referenced.” The company said it uses verification measures and artificial intelligence to detect and remove most fraudulent listings within 24 hours, but argued that some automatic controls were not triggered because the fake property was not continuously open and bookable.

Ofcom said platforms have existing legal duties to swiftly remove illegal user-generated content once they become aware of it, adding that “Booking.com is not in scope of future rules that will apply to paid-for fraudulent advertising, and any change to that would be a matter for Government.”

L’article Fake 10 Downing Street Booking.com listing exposes major security flaws est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Water Tower was completed in 1877 to supply fresh water to Sandringham House and the surrounding estate. It was designed by James Mansergh, a British engineer also known for his work on the Elan Valley Reservoirs in Wales. The circular building was constructed in a neo-Byzantine style, which is recognised by rounded forms, arches and decorative brickwork. Its elevated position and distinctive appearance have made it a recognisable part of the Norfolk landscape for almost 150 years.

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At the top of the tower was a cast-iron tank capable of holding 32,000 gallons of water. It supplied Sandringham House and other parts of the estate for more than a century. The building has now exchanged this practical role for a new life as heritage accommodation. Its transformation reflects a wider tourism trend in which former water towers, prisons and other historic structures are given a new purpose as places to stay.

The accommodation is spread across several floors, with each level serving a different purpose. The ground floor contains the kitchen, dining area and bathroom, while the bedroom is located on the first floor. Above it, guests will find a living room with a working fireplace for colder evenings. The upper part of the building provides access to a rooftop terrace with views over Sandringham Estate and the wider Norfolk countryside.

The interior has been designed to preserve the identity of the Victorian building instead of making it look like a conventional hotel suite. Neutral colours and heritage-inspired tones allow the tower’s original features to remain the focus. Reclaimed materials sourced from elsewhere on the estate have also been used alongside carefully selected furniture. Historic photographs of Sandringham and the British Royal Family appear throughout the accommodation, connecting the modern retreat to the estate’s past.

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Sandringham has been owned by the Royal Family since 1862, when it was purchased as a country retreat for the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Today, Sandringham House remains the private Norfolk residence of King Charles III, and the Royal Family traditionally gathers there during the Christmas period. The wider estate covers approximately 20,000 acres and includes farmland, gardens, woodland, a sawmill and an apple juice pressing plant. More than 200 people work across Sandringham, which continues to operate as a working rural estate as well as a royal residence.

The Water Tower joins two other restored holiday properties available on Sandringham Estate. Gardens House is an Edwardian red-brick home once occupied by the estate’s head gardener and can now accommodate up to eight people. The Folly dates from the 19^th century and has previously served as a hunting lodge and an afternoon tearoom. Following a year-long restoration, it now sleeps six guests and retains features including stone hearths, arched entrances and hand-finished floors.

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The three properties are available to book through luxury holiday company Oliver’s Travels. Sandringham is located around 100 miles north of London, putting it within reach of the capital for a longer weekend or short countryside break. Guests can explore nearby Norfolk villages, walk through the surrounding landscape or travel towards the county’s coastline during their stay. The Water Tower offers the smallest and most private option, with accommodation for two and far-reaching views from its rooftop terrace.

L’article King Charles’ Sandringham water tower opens for overnight stays est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Overall, 55% of accommodation providers are doing so without having gained the correct permissions, and another 22% hold only temporary licences. That means bona fide businesses form only 23% of the island’s hotel and tourist accommodation, the Audit Office figures show. In the Cypriot government-controlled Famagusta region, only 24 of the 241 tourist accommodation establishments are licensed—less than 10%.

Following the report, the island’s Deputy Ministry of Tourism recognised the issue, noting that over half of the territory’s tourist accommodation providers had never applied for a permit to operate. Tourism licensing is a perennial problem for the island, going back at least three decades. Officials say the backlog deteriorated further after an incentive scheme introduced in May 2013 came into effect with the aim of boosting the economy through denser developments and legalising unlicensed builds. This led to large-scale renovations and extensions that are yet to be assimilated into the permit system.

A compliance window of six years saw only 43 licenses awarded, meaning only six percent of hotels had a permit by 2023. That situation has now improved slightly, with the number of permits up to 94, or just under 13% by the end of 2024.

The last two years, meanwhile, have been taken up with consultations between the Deputy Ministry and various state bodies, with a view to ensuring a legal framework that applies safety legislation equally to all stakeholders. A programme of scheduled reminders to alert hospitality professionals to their obligations is also underway.

The picture is slightly better when it comes to self-catering accommodation, the Deputy Ministry said, with licensing drives increasing the number of operators with proper permits from 4,765 in April 2023 to 8,478 by 29 June 2026—a notable increase of 78%.

Given the proportion of operators doing business without licenses, the number of complaints about non-registered premises on the island is relatively low at 88 official reports.

Cyprus welcomed more than 4.5 million visitors in 2025, according to Cyprus Statistical Service data, a record-breaking number representing an increase of 12.2% year-on-year, but 2026 has been a challenging year so far, due to disruptions and travel alerts prompted by the war in the Middle East during the first and second quarters.

L’article Almost three-quarters of tourist accommodation in Cyprus operating without proper license est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

According to Airbnb’s announcement, the measures are part of a broader effort to support responsible stays and protect both hosts and local communities during peak demand weekends. The company says the system is specifically targeted at short-term rental bookings that may pose a higher risk of unauthorised parties, particularly in full-home listings that are more susceptible to large gatherings.

The anti-party system, first introduced in 2020, uses a combination of predictive signals and booking restrictions to identify and deter potentially higher-risk reservations. While Airbnb does not publicly disclose the full details of its enforcement algorithms, the company has previously described the system as relying on a range of factors, including booking patterns, length of stay, and reservation characteristics. When a booking is flagged, guests may be prevented from reserving certain entire-home listings or may be redirected toward alternative accommodations such as private rooms or hotels.

The system is being deployed ahead of the 4^th of July weekend, a period highly associated with increased incidents of unauthorised parties in short-term rentals. The move comes amid Airbnb’s ongoing effort to discourage large gatherings that violate its year-round party and event ban, which was made permanent in 2022 after being initially introduced as a temporary pandemic-era policy.

“This is the fifth year in a row we’ve run these defenses for July 4, and last year they redirected more than 20,000 people from higher-risk bookings over the holiday weekend. That kind of capability – improved year over year – is what it takes to help make the holiday great for our hosts, guests and the communities around them,” said Rog Kaiser, Vice President of Fraud and Safety Operations at Airbnb.

The anti-party measures are intended not only to protect property owners but also to reduce neighbourhood disturbances and support responsible stays on the platform. Airbnb said that fewer than approximately 0.06% of bookings in the United States resulted in a reported party in 2025.

During last year’s 4^th of July holiday weekend, the company said its screening technology redirected more than 20,000 guests from booking entire-home listings. That figure included approximately 3,100 guests in Florida, 3,100 in Texas and around 2,500 in California.

The renewed rollout of the technology comes as several recent incidents have drawn attention to unauthorised gatherings at short-term rental properties. On 22 June, three people were hospitalised following a shooting at a party held at an Airbnb property in Butchertown, Kentucky, according to local outlet WAVE.

In another incident earlier this year, a Texas mansion was left heavily damaged after a party advertised on social media attracted an estimated 500 to 800 teenagers and young adults. The homeowner told FOX 4 News that the property had been rented through Airbnb by a guest who said it would be used for “a party of seven people.”

@cbsnewstexas

Celina police say a social media post advertising a massive house party led to 500 to 800 teens gathering at a home rented through Airbnb. The party ended with multiple gunshots and two arrests. The owner of the $7.6 million property, Kishore Karlapudi, says he had no idea a house party was planned.

♬ original sound – CBS News Texas

Some hosts have said the anti-party screening system can make it harder to secure legitimate holiday bookings, particularly during peak demand periods like the 4^th of July weekend. Josh Zozosky, who manages more than 50 Airbnb properties in Charlotte, North Carolina, told WBTW that “Our houses will very frequently sit empty on the biggest holiday of the year,” adding that there is “nothing we can do if we rely solely on Airbnb to fill those bookings.” He noted that he would like to see Airbnb provide stronger support for hosts when parties do occur, saying, “I think that’s something they can improve on.”

As travel demand surges for summer events and national holidays, Airbnb’s approach reflects a broader industry focus on preventing misuse of vacation rentals while maintaining availability for legitimate travellers.

L’article Airbnb brings back anti-party system ahead of 4 July weekend to prevent disruptive gatherings est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The research by ING bank reveals 5,000 properties in Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent, representing 0.8% of the housing market in some of the most expensive cities for rent in the country, are being let out through accommodation giant, Airbnb, alone. What’s more, “this share is likely even higher if we include other platforms such as Booking.com and Expedia,” said Alissa Lefebre, economist at ING.

In 2024, around 1.23 million stays were booked via these platforms in Belgium, accounting for 12.3 million overnight stays, ING’s analysis found. In 2025, the 10-million overnight stay threshold had already been surpassed in the first three quarters of the year.

While the Flemish government in the north of Belgium has announced the introduction of stricter controls over short-term rentals, Lefebre argues such measures in isolation are not enough to improve the situation. Addressing the size and type of property available in the cities’ housing stock is also key, she said explaining that new building permits tend to focus disproportionately on single family dwellings. These have seen a year-on-year 17% uptick in planning grants, while permissions to build apartments are down 8% — a situation that does not align with demand. “The housing supply must respond better to changing demand,” Lefebre said, “among other things by encouraging and facilitating housing projects within smaller units.”

Other factors affecting people’s ability and confidence to find homes include how stable the investment climate is, the bank said. It is also important to make sure any new legislation on housing quality and energy performance do not lead to perverse effects on housing supply. ING cited rent caps as an example of a measure that has had a negative effect by reducing rental supply, dampening construction, and lowering market turnover.

Part of today’s problem has been poor compliance with regulatory attempts to deal with the impact of short-term rentals on the housing market. But new European rules in force since May 2026 aim to address this by requiring platforms to share data. A key next step, ING points out, is the “creation of a national registration system, which could bring an estimated 1,800 out of 4,650 homes back to the regular housing market.”

However, authorities must find ways to alleviate other “structural bottlenecks,” such as low construction activity, high costs, supply chain issues, and bankruptcies within the sector, ING argues.

The bank’s findings come against a backdrop of wider concerns about tourism’s impact on residents and its economic contribution to Belgian life. Brussels has repeatedly clashed with Airbnb over failures to provide fire safety certificates, criminal record checks, and breaches of urban planning stipulations over building use, as well as targeting property owners over unpaid taxes.

Ghent updated its “noise action plan” in early 2026, putting noise limits of 60 decibels on sensitive areas such as restaurant terraces, and 70 decibels for temporary peaks, with exceptions for major events. Going forward, the city’s canal tours will be required to switch to electric propulsion and to use headphones instead of loudspeakers.

And in summer 2025 the coastal destination of Ostend put forward plans for liveability bylaws to  limit Airbnbs in some neighbourhoods and ban key boxes (which allow guests to collect keys without the owner needing to be present) in order to improve hosts’ accountability.

L’article Thousands of Belgian homes unavailable to residential market due to Airbnb est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.