Mayor Benoît Payan of Marseille has announced a plan to combat overtourism by requiring owners who rent properties on Airbnb to buy another property for long-term rental. He claims that up to 75 percent of property developers in the city are not from Marseille and are using short-term rental sites like Airbnb. Payan wants to use the law to prevent landlords from profiting off the people of Marseille by mandating that they provide long-term rental options. He has expressed strong opposition to Airbnb and wants to implement strict regulations in Marseille to address overtourism and housing shortages.
Before becoming mayor, Payan stated that only four percent of requests to rent out second homes on Airbnb were refused by the town hall. However, he claims that under his administration, this figure has risen to 82 percent. He wants to prohibit people from renting out second homes that should be used for traditional rentals on platforms like Airbnb. With the support of a specialized team known as the ‘Airbnb brigade,’ Marseille is taking proactive measures to identify and eliminate illegal short-term rentals. This move is part of a larger trend in France, with increasing numbers of mayors and local governments enforcing stricter regulations to combat housing shortages and overtourism.
In addition to Marseille, Paris has also taken a firm stance against Airbnb rentals. The city requires local authorization for short-term property rentals, and any rental of second homes on Airbnb is now prohibited. Property owners are limited in the number of days they can rent out their main home on the platform, and they must declare their rental income to French tax authorities. Airbnb itself provides rental details to the French tax office, making property rental in France less lucrative than before. These regulations aim to regulate the sharing economy and ensure that property owners comply with tax laws while combating overtourism.
Mayor Payan is determined to implement the strictest regulations in France to combat overtourism in Marseille. He believes that requiring property owners to buy an additional property for long-term rental will help increase housing supply and prevent landlords from solely seeking profits through short-term rentals. By cracking down on Airbnb rentals and enforcing local regulations, Marseille aims to address the housing shortage and protect the interests of its residents. The growing trend of local authorities imposing their own rules on Airbnb rentals reflects a broader effort to balance the benefits of the sharing economy with the need to maintain affordable housing options for residents. Payan’s plan highlights the ongoing struggle to regulate short-term rentals and manage the impact of tourism on local communities.
