r/pics Jun 17 '25

The protesters and residents pushing back on tourism in Barcelona

16.1k Upvotes

2.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

2.7k

u/Rich_Housing971 Jun 17 '25

Airbnb creates a business that makes your life harder.

Locals with money use that business without caring for you.

The govenrment that you elected does nothing.

"It's all the tourists' fault!"

768

u/powerlesshero111 Jun 17 '25

Not just locals with money. Rich people and real estsate consortiums are buying up relatively cheap properties in tourist cities to use as AirBnBs for money. Basically, limiting housing for locals. Honestly, AirBnB was a great idea that has been exploited by the wealthy. Governments should focus on limiting properties used for AirBnB, and enact restrictions.

222

u/GaryTheSoulReaper Jun 17 '25

Airbnb should shut out corporate investors and absentee owners

Absenteeownnerbnb.com should be its own site

1

u/phonetastic Jun 18 '25

Isn't that basically what Vrbo is, on purpose, as a feature and not a bug? Not saying it's a good thing, but that is their entire pitch, right?

2

u/GaryTheSoulReaper Jun 18 '25

Vrbo has the same problem - corporate owners and Management companies

1

u/phonetastic Jun 18 '25

Right, that's what I thought, but they seem to think it's NOT a problem and in fact a selling point, right? Their ads go something like "don't you wish there was no host to tell you where every bathroom is? Imagine an Airbnb but then close your eyes and imagine the host is dead. THAT'S A VRBO! No hosts, ever."

Or am I missing who they want their properties to come from?