Articles

04 March 2025

Rethinking Rentals: How the EU Is Adressing Data Gaps in Tourism

Adventure tourism

Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism

Cultural tourism

+39 more

Login / create an account to be able to react

• 45

The European Union is refining regulations to address data gaps in the short-term rental (STR) sector, balancing tourism growth with housing stability. The Regulation (EU) 2024/1028, effective from May 2026, mandates standardized data-sharing from STR platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com, introducing a digital registration system for hosts. This aims to improve oversight, enable better enforcement of housing policies, and ensure compliance with EU data protection laws (GDPR). While challenges remain due to past regulatory fragmentation, emerging digital tools like blockchain and AI offer potential solutions for fraud detection and market analysis. The EU’s evolving STR framework underscores a commitment to transparency and structured governance in tourism and housing.

Authors

Editorial team

Topics Geographical descriptors

Albania

Armenia

Austria

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czechia

Denmark

Estonia

EU-27

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Kosovo

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Moldova

Montenegro

Netherlands

North Macedonia

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Serbia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Türkiye

Ukraine

Organisation Type

Academic/Research and VET Institutions

Business Support Organization

Company with 250 or more employees

Consumer / tourist organisation

Cultural and Heritage Organisations

Destination Management & Marketing Organisations

EU institutions

Financial Institutions and Investors

Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce

International Organisations

Local authorities

Media/Travel Journalist Organisations

National authorities

Networks and Federations / Confederations

NGOs / Non-profits

Regional authorities

SMEs (a company with less than 250 employees)

Social Economy Entity

Trade Unions

• Specific types of tourism

• • Adventure tourism

  • Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism

  • Cultural tourism

  • Ecotourism

  • Education tourism

  • Festival tourism

  • Gastronomy tourism

  • Health and medical tourism

  • MICE tourism

  • Mountain tourism

  • Religious tourism

  • Rural tourism

  • Sports tourism

  • Urban/city tourism

  • Wellness tourism

• Transition Pathway Strategic Areas

• • Short-term rentals

• Business activities

• • Activities of amusement parks and theme parks

  • Activities of associations and other organisations supporting tourism

  • Air passenger transport

  • Camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks

  • Events catering and other food services

  • Festivals, cultural and entertainment activities

  • Gardens and nature reserves activities

  • Holiday Housing / Apartments and other short stay accommodation

  • Hotel and similar accommodation

  • Mobile beverage services

  • Mobile food services

  • Museums

  • Operation of historical sites

  • Other

  • Other accommodation

  • Other amusement and recreation activities

  • Other food and beverage services

  • Other holiday reservation services

  • Other tourism transportation activities

  • Rail Passenger transport

  • Recreational and sport activities

  • Restaurants, cafes and bars (Food and Beverage serving activities)

  • Road passenger transport

  • Tour operator activities

  • Travel agency activities

  • Water (sea, coastal and inland) passenger transport

Share { "service" : "share", "version" : "2.0", "networks" : ["twitter", "facebook", "linkedin"] }

As of early 2025, the European is working to enhance management of the rapid expansion of short-term rentals (STRs). Platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo have become deeply embedded in Europe’s tourism landscape, offering millions of travelers flexible, affordable accommodation options. While this growth has unlocked new income opportunities for property owners and diversified tourism offerings across the EU, it has also presented regulatory challenges, particularly in terms of data transparency and its impact on housing markets.

The increasing presence of STRs has raised discussions about their effects on housing availability, property prices, and the character of residential areas. Some local governments have expressed concerns about the influence of STRs on urban housing dynamics, including their potential impact on affordability and neighborhood composition. Addressing these issues requires access to reliable data.

In response to these challenges, the European Union has begun taking decisive action to regulate data-sharing practices within the STR sector. The landmark Regulation (EU) 2024/1028, which officially came into force in May 2024 and shall apply from 20 May 2026, marks a significant step forward in harmonising data-sharing obligations across member states. The regulation mandates that online STR platforms provide authorities with essential information about rental activity, ensuring greater transparency and accountability. 

One of the regulation’s most significant features is the introduction of a standardised registration system for hosts. Under this framework, property owners offering STRs are now required to register through a simplified digital platform, obtaining a unique identification number that must be displayed on all listings. This measure is intended to simplify administrative processes and assist authorities in monitoring rental activity more effectively.

The obligation for platforms to share relevant data with national and local governments is another key pillar of the regulation. By receiving consistent, accurate data, authorities can better enforce local housing laws, implement zoning restrictions.. This shift empowers cities and municipalities to adopt data-driven and proportionate regulations for STR, including when faced with the need to strike a balance between supporting tourism growth and protecting housing affordability for residents. The regulation also ensures that data-sharing practices align with the EU’s stringent data protection rules, particularly those outlined under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Despite these advancements, challenges remain. The absence of a unified approach in data sharing in the past has made it difficult for local governments to regulate STRs effectively. Differences in regulatory frameworks and some registration demands already in place among EU member states have led to a fragmented landscape, preventing effective STR regulation where needed while leading to the adoption of disproportionate policies in other places. 

The potential of digital tools to enhance data transparency is increasingly being recognised across the EU. Technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) offer promising avenues for improving regulatory enforcement. These tools could serve several functions:

• Blockchain technology could establish tamper-proof registries of STR properties, ensuring only legally registered rentals appear on platforms.

• AI-powered monitoring systems could detect fraudulent listings or identify STRs operating outside legal frameworks in real time.

• Data-driven analytics could help local governments predict the impact of STR growth on housing markets and adjust policies accordingly.

While these technologies offer potential benefits, their effectiveness will depend on adoption by STR platforms and property owners. The extent to which they are integrated into regulatory frameworks remains an ongoing consideration.

Croatia’s eVisitor platform, an online system for registration and deregistration of tourists, is another example of how digital tools can enhance data management. By providing real-time insights into tourism trends, the system has facilitated improved regulatory oversight. Similar data-sharing initiatives in other EU countries could help address challenges related to tourism and housing policies.

STR platforms are expected to comply with regulatory requirements while maintaining adherence to EU data protection laws. Local authorities will play a role in utilizing shared data to refine policies that support both tourism and housing stability. Travelers, too, contribute by choosing accommodations that align with local regulations and responsible tourism practices.

The EU’s evolving approach to regulating STRs and enhancing data transparency reflects an effort to balance tourism growth with broader economic and social considerations. As the regulatory framework continues to take shape in 2025, measures such as the Short-Term Rental Regulation represent steps toward a more structured and transparent STR market. While challenges remain, ongoing initiatives suggest a commitment to refining policies that accommodate diverse interests across Europe’s tourism and housing sectors. For now, the implementation of the EU STR Regulation will proceed without direct support from the Common European Tourism Data Space, an initiative launched in 2023 to enhance data collaboration among policymakers, businesses, and researchers. Its long-term potential to improve tourism governance, sustainability, and innovation remains promising, but its integration with STR policies has yet to materialize.

Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet Rate Comments (0)

Login / create an account to be able to comment

Related content -

• 67

Comment 0

Legislation

17 Aug 2024

EU regulation on data collection and sharing for short-term accommodation rentals Regulation (EU) 2024/1028, adopted on 11 April 2024, aims to enhance transparency and data availability in the short-term rental market by improving coordination and data... Categories Adventure tourism Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism Cultural tourism +15 more -

• 23

Comment 0

Articles

05 Feb 2025

Why Do Short-Term Rental Hosts Now Need a Registration Number? The EU’s new short-term rental (STR) regulation, introduced in 2024, requires hosts to register their properties and obtain a unique identification number before listing on... Categories Adventure tourism Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism Cultural tourism +43 more -

• 6

Comment 0

Data

21 Aug 2024

Tourist accommodation demand in European destinations In March 2024, the EU experienced 69 million tourist arrivals, predominantly in Germany, France, and Spain, up 6.4% from 2019, highlighting a recovery in tourism. Categories Adventure tourism Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism Cultural tourism +19 more -

• 6

Comment 0

Data

21 Aug 2024

Bed capacity and demand in EU tourist destinations Tourism indicators reveal that in 2022, EU tourism occupancy rates varied widely, with Cyprus leading and Luxembourg lagging, and most countries not reaching pre-pandemic levels. Categories Adventure tourism Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism Cultural tourism +19 more See also -

• 18

• Articles
• 20 Mar 2025

From Guesswork to Governance: The EU’s Move Toward Smarter STR Data For years, short-term rentals (STRs) have been a hot-button issue in Europe. Cities have wrestled with the balance between economic benefits and housing disruptions, while... Categories Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism Cultural tourism Ecotourism +64 more 2

• 482

• Articles
• 10 Feb 2025

The End of Paper Passports? How the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) Changes Border Control Starting in late 2025, the way non-EU travellers enter the Schengen Zone will undergo a significant transformation. The European Union plans to launch the Entry/Exit... Categories Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism Cultural tourism Ecotourism +64 more -

• 140

• Articles
• 15 Dec 2024

Best Practices and National Tourism Strategies Across the European Union The article highlights best practices in tourism among EU Member States, collected by the European Commission in 2024. Key areas include policy and governance, green... Categories Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism Cultural tourism Ecotourism +64 more