I use airbnb and at times have guests. I live in Madrid and new laws have been established that will result in almost 50,000 airbnb being disqualified in the center of the city. This will result in apartments that will become available to Madrid residents who want to live in the center. It will also return the center to normalcy. Presently, Madrid, just like Rome has ceded its heart to tourists. There is no lodging available there for the locals. Apartment owners have turned them into more lucratives airbnbs. People are buying apartments at higher and higher prices because they are purchased to turn into high revenue airbnb. I find this awful because it has taken away normal life and character from the center of a city, turned it into touristland, put out of business all the ones once catering to the needs of residents and replaced them with ones catering to tourism. When a city loses its center it looses its heart. One used to go to these cities to see the sites but also to experience the way of life. That is no longer there anymore because instead of a life there is only tourism. Tourists who rather than blend discreetly into the local population become more numerous in areas than the locals. The new laws will make less rooms available overall which is great as it will curb tourism. It will also give those renting rooms in the areas around the center a chance to rent more often. The visitors will also be rewarded by living in areas of the city where they can blend in with the locals and enjoy neighborhood life.
