In the future, providers of short-term accommodation will have to register their guests. This requirement is outlined in an amendment approved by the ministers. The aim of this change is to give the state a better overview of who is providing what type of accommodation. The change particularly affects offerings via online platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.
An analysis by the Prague Institute for Planning and Development shows a significant increase in short-term property rentals in the capital following the Covid-19 pandemic. The Airbnb platform, in particular, is playing a central role in this, with cities like Prague facing regulatory challenges to mitigate the impact on residents and traditional accommodation providers.
Currently, guesthouses and similar establishments are required to register every visitor in the accommodation system and submit the data separately to the immigration police, the municipality, or the authorities. A new register called eTurista is intended to simplify this process by centralising all data and having it managed by the authorities, according to news channel ČT24. This should also enable better monitoring of short-term accommodation providers. According to the Ministry of Regional Development, up to seventy percent of accommodation providers are not registered via online platforms.
The amendment also allows local authorities to partially regulate this form of letting. “In places of tourist importance, these activities often limit the supply of housing, which increases the pressure on market rents in the region and has a negative impact on residents,” Deputy Prime Minister for Digitalisation and Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartos (Pirates) told the Czech news channel.
Patrik Nacher, deputy chairman of the ANO parliamentary club, also spoke out in favour of setting up the register on behalf of the opposition. “It is about finding a balanced norm that allows people to freely dispose of their property and at the same time does not restrict the rights of people in the neighbourhood,” he added. “This change could contribute to improving the current situation.”
Many European cities, including those in the Czech Republic, are struggling with the influx of tourists. As a result, some metropolises are strictly limiting short-term rentals and have introduced high fees.
