Budapest Mayors Discuss Potential Airbnb Ban Expansion
Terézváros, Budapest’s 6th district, recently made headlines for banning Airbnb in a local referendum held in early September. The decision has sparked discussions among Budapest’s other downtown mayors about potentially following suit.
According to reports from 24.hu, Momentum Mayor Tamás Soproni expressed surprise at the suggestion of implementing a similar ban in Budapest or even nationwide, similar to Terézváros. The referendum in Terézváros saw a narrow victory for the ban supporters, with only about 54% voting to limit short-term rental days in the district.
While supporters of the ban believe it will help alleviate the housing crisis in downtown Budapest, critics argue that it could negatively impact the tourism sector. Gergely Hanti, editor of bnbinfo.hu, warned that a total ban on Airbnb in Budapest could deter tourists and lead them to choose other destinations like Prague or Cracow.
The main question now is whether other mayors in Budapest will follow Terézváros’s lead. Mayor Krisztina Baranyi of Ferencváros (9th district) has already stated that she does not view a total ban as a viable solution to the issue.
In contrast, Péter Niedermüller, the mayor of the 7th district, where many Airbnbs are located, has not ruled out the possibility of a ban but prefers to leave the decision-making power in the hands of local governments rather than the central government.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Consulting Body recently met to discuss the impact of short-term rentals on the housing market. National Economy Minister Marton Nagy emphasized the need to address the housing shortage in Hungary and hinted at the possibility of stricter regulations on short-term rentals in the future.
As the debate continues, the future of Airbnb in Budapest remains uncertain, with differing opinions among city officials and experts on how to strike a balance between housing needs and the tourism industry.
