Protest against mass tourism: Rome defends itself with Robin Hood actions!

Protest against mass tourism: Rome defends itself with Robin Hood actions!

Things are boiling in Rome: activists are protesting decisively against the massive increase in mass tourism and the associated increase in holiday apartments. In a recent campaign, they left provocative messages adorned with a Robin Hood hat and bearing the Airbnb logo. The background? Tourism has driven up prices in the city so much that many families are being forced out of their homes to make room for wealthy tourists. According to reports from vienna.at Over 50,000 people in Rome are already suffering from housing shortages, an alarming increase of more than three times compared to 2022.

Government plans stricter controls

With the Catholic Jubilee Year approaching in 2025, which will bring some 32 million visitors to the Eternal City, the Italian government plans to introduce stricter regulations on short-term rentals. In the future, holiday apartment operators will have to meet their guests in person and report their identity to the police within 24 hours. This regulation is intended to prevent anonymous bookings from posing security risks through automated key issuing, which is typical for many Airbnb accommodations vienna.at reported.

The tensions are part of a larger trend affecting not only Rome, but also other popular cultural cities in Italy. According to current data from Statista Airbnb plays a central role in this boom in mass tourism, which leads to further rising rents and the displacement of locals. As a result, many neighborhoods are losing their original identity and the pressure on citizens is growing.