Faced with the explosion of tourist rentals, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, plans to use the new “anti-Airbnb” law to curb the phenomenon. His objective: to reduce Airbnb and other short-term rental listings by 50%. This measure is considered necessary to preserve the long-term rental stock and limit overtourism in certain neighborhoods.
Nice, the second most popular city in France for Airbnb rentals after Paris, has nearly 13,600 listings of tourist rentals. This proliferation of short-term housing offers results in a reduction of long-term rental options for permanent residents. Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, wants to reverse this trend by relying on the new anti-Airbnb law, adopted last November 7th. His goal? To cut the number of Airbnb listings in the city by half, particularly in the historic district of Old Nice.
Last Sunday, during the program “Dimanche en politique” on France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Christian Estrosi explained his approach: “Each Airbnb on the market is as many long-term rentals that are not available to the people of Nice”, he stated. The mayor intends to set quotas for tourist rentals by neighborhood. He wants to prioritize the areas most affected by overtourism. “Old Nice is the most concerned and saturated, and we need to relieve it,” he added.
Quotas and Enhanced Regulation
Christian Estrosi welcomes the new provisions of the anti-Airbnb law. This law gives mayors the power to limit tourist rentals to free up housing for permanent residents. Thanks to this law, Nice will be able to establish specific quotas, aiming to significantly reduce Airbnb listings in “sensitive” neighborhoods. “We do not want unwanted tourism, but chosen tourism”, says the mayor, emphasizing his desire to preserve the quality of life for the people of Nice and to limit disturbances.
Beyond this law, the city of Nice has already taken several measures to regulate Airbnb rentals. Last July, the city council approved a measure that limits temporary rental authorizations to one year. It comes with an obligation for owners to renew their request before expiration. Additionally, Nice banned key boxes in public spaces in 2023, aiming to limit the ease of access to Airbnb properties.
Airbnb Reacts to the Measures by the City of Nice
In response to this intent to limit, Airbnb indicated, in a statement, that it is ready to work with the city of Nice to implement suitable quotas. “When based on reliable data and well-targeted, quotas can be a solution to limit the concentration of short-term accommodations in certain neighborhoods,” explained the platform, reminding that tourist rentals contribute to the local economy.
Airbnb also highlights that tourist rentals generated over four million euros in tourist tax for Nice in 2023. A significant contribution to the economic dynamism of Nice. The platform states its desire to encourage “proportionate” regulation so that hosts in Nice can continue to rent their properties occasionally.
Faced with the tensions between preserving the Nice rental market and the economic impact of tourism, a dialogue is now open between Airbnb and the city of Nice. Christian Estrosi is determined to limit the overrepresentation of tourist rentals: “I will not allow overtourism to develop here.” With the implementation of quotas and strict regulation, Nice aims to restore balance, providing residents the opportunity for sustainable housing.