Global Regulatory Notes (12)

Keep a pulse on global regulatory trends. Featuring critical updates and recent news on short-term rental policies around the world, we highlight key developments shaping the industry. 🌐

Canada

West Kelowna, BC

West Kelowna is moving to expand its short-term rental rules to include RC3-zoned properties, allowing secondary suites to operate as STRs under the city’s licensing framework. Council has directed staff to draft bylaw amendments following increased interest from RC3 residents.

Although up to 1,000 properties could become eligible, officials expect only about 30 new licences based on current trends. Limiting STRs to secondary suites is meant to address density and parking concerns in these compact neighborhoods.

Maple Ridge, BC

Maple Ridge has adopted new short-term rental rules requiring all hosts to get a business licence and follow strict limits. Under the policy, only principal residences on lots over 371 square meters are eligible, and STRs are banned in apartments and townhouses.

Short-Term Rentals

Maple Ridge, BC

Hosts may list up to three rooms or one full unit for a maximum of six guests and must provide off-street parking, insurance, and emergency contact info. The city invites hosts to book info sessions and plans a one-year review of the policy.

Oro - Medonte Township, ON

After years of legal back-and-forth and more than $1 million spent, Oro-Medonte Township is once again inching toward a potential resolution on regulating short-term rentals.

Short Term Rental Accommodation and Bed & Breakfast Establishments Licensing | Township of Oro-Medonte

Township of Oro-Medonte

At its latest council meeting, staff presented a report summarizing public feedback on the township’s draft licensing bylaw for short-term accommodations and B&Bs. Under the proposal, only STRs located in specific resort developments would be legal, with all other operations subject to zoning restrictions. The licensing framework, developed under the Municipal Act, would allow the township to revoke or deny licenses, enforce safety standards, and limit nuisance issues.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON

Niagara-on-the-Lake is once again grappling with how to manage short-term rentals as a pause on new licenses nears its July expiration. At a recent council meeting, the public weighed in—some pushing to limit or ban non-resident rentals due to noise and neighborhood disruption, others warning that stricter rules threaten local businesses.

Short Term Rentals | Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake

Home

With 231 STRs currently licensed, including owner-occupied B&Bs and detached villas, the debate centers on fairness, enforcement, and neighborhood impact. Final bylaw amendments are expected at the July 22 council meeting.

Spain

Majorca

Majorca is bracing for a seismic shift in its summer tourism landscape as new short-term rental regulations take effect on July 1, 2025, banning all unregistered vacation rentals across the island.

Authorities will require every listing on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com to display an official registration number. Properties without it will be deemed illegal, delisted, and subject to fines. The crackdown is expected to remove up to 70% of existing STR listings, potentially displacing thousands of UK tourists during peak season.

Barcelona

As Barcelona continues tightening restrictions on short-term rentals in response to housing pressures, Airbnb is urging the city to rethink its approach. Despite a 43% drop in STR listings since 2020, tourism continues to climb, with hotel stays making up 76% of overnight visits—suggesting that hotels, not private rentals, are driving mass tourism.

Airbnb is calling for a more nuanced policy that distinguishes between occasional home-sharing and commercial STR operators, arguing that responsible rentals by locals benefit communities without displacing residents. The company warns that current policies may be ineffective at easing the housing crisis, as rents and property prices have continued to soar despite restrictions.

Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn is taking steps to reduce the number of short-term rentals in its Old Town in an effort to preserve livability for residents.

 “The Old Town is currently an important tourist destination, and we want to keep it that way. At the same time, it’s also important to preserve the local population and make the area attractive for domestic tourists as well.” - Tallinn’s Deputy Mayor Madle Lippus noted.

A new development plan aims to rebalance tourism and housing, but officials admit they haven’t yet defined how this will be done. Locals have raised concerns about overcrowding and nuisance from large rental units, some hosting up to 16 people. City leaders say future regulations may include registration requirements or even building-level veto power. A national study on STRs, due this fall, is expected to inform next steps.

Greece, Athens

Greece is doubling down on efforts to protect long-term housing in central Athens, with a ban on new short-term rental permits in the city’s most impacted neighborhoods extended through 2026.

Originally enacted in early 2025, the measure blocks the issuance of new registration numbers in the capital’s first three municipal districts where housing affordability has come under increasing pressure.

Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry plans to collect further data from other urban areas to assess whether similar interventions might be needed elsewhere. Although short-term rentals still represent just 9.2% of all tourist overnight stays in Greece, the sector has seen rapid growth—helping drive tourism while also fueling concerns over housing scarcity, particularly as short-term rental beds have now outnumbered hotel beds for the first time.

🌐 Emerging Global Trends

As cities around the world confront mounting housing pressures and tourism demands, governments are rolling out new policies to rein in short-term rentals. From stricter licensing rules to sweeping registration mandates, these emerging trends reflect a growing push to balance community needs with the benefits of the STR economy.

📒 Expanding and Refining Local Licensing and Zoning Frameworks: Cities and towns like West Kelowna and Maple Ridge in British Columbia, along with Oro-Medonte Township and Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario are actively expanding and tightening STR licensing rules to address community concerns about density, parking, nuisance, and neighborhood character. These municipalities are imposing specific eligibility criteria such as limiting rentals to secondary suites, principal residences, or resort developments, and increasing enforcement powers, including license revocation and safety compliance. Public input and periodic policy reviews are shaping these efforts to strike a balance between welcoming tourism and protecting residents’ quality of life.

🏠 Nationwide and Regional Crackdowns with Registration and Compliance Mandates: In Europe, particularly on the Spanish island of Majorca, governments are implementing sweeping registration requirements for STRs mandating that all listings display official registration numbers and subjecting unregistered properties to fines and removal from platforms. This crackdown aims to reduce the number of illegal vacation rentals drastically and mitigate housing market pressures, with forecasts indicating a potential removal of up to 70% of existing listings. Similar tensions are visible in Barcelona, where local authorities and platforms debate how best to regulate STRs to address the housing crisis without harming the tourism economy.

🏗️ Balancing Tourism with Resident Livability through Strategic Planning and Future Regulations: Cities like Tallinn, Estonia exemplify the challenge of maintaining tourist appeal while preserving livability for local residents amid STR growth. Local leaders are exploring new development plans to rebalance tourism and housing needs, considering measures such as registration requirements or building-level veto powers to limit disruptive rentals. Public concerns about overcrowding and nuisance underscore the need for nuanced policies informed by ongoing studies and community engagement, illustrating a broader trend toward data-driven and participatory STR regulation.

👍 We’d love your feedback.
Which stories hit? Which ones missed?

We're constantly refining Global Regulatory Notes to make it even more useful for you.

✉️ Just reply directly to this email. We read and respond to every message!

-Will McClure
🙋 P.S.
Know someone else who should be reading Global Regulatory Notes? Feel free to forward this along. We'd love to keep them in the loop on the latest short-term rental trends and regulatory updates from around the world.