Florence's local government in Italy has ordered owners of vacation rental properties to remove self-check-in keyboxes by February 25 as part of measures to curb over-tourism in the historic city known for the Renaissance.
Rental companies like Airbnb are increasingly utilizing self-check-in keyboxes to streamline processes for property owners and guests, eliminating the need for in-person key handovers and check-in formalities. Despite the time-saving benefits, critics argue that the keyboxes are unsightly and raise security concerns due to the lack of physical interaction between hosts and guests.
Florence Mayor Sara Funaro stated in an interview with a local television station that enforcement teams will be deployed to identify and remove non-compliant keyboxes, with fines of up to 400 euros ($417.20) levied on violators.
Similar actions to manage tourist influx have been taken in Rome and other popular Italian destinations, sparked by local grievances over limited affordable housing options and hoteliers experiencing a decline in business due to the surge in short-term rentals.
The national government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also introduced a rule mandating visual guest identification for all check-ins.
A spokesperson for the "Let's save Florence to live in it" campaign, Massimo Torelli, expressed contentment with the city's initiative to address the issue, mentioning their efforts to mark keyboxes with a red cross across various locations in the city. Torelli stressed the detrimental impact of unbridled tourism on Florence and anticipated a reduction in short-stay accommodations, freeing up housing for local residents from the current 15,000 units to a more sustainable 7,000-8,000.
(1 euro equals $1.0417 at the current exchange rate.)