Italy Prohibited Users Of Lodging Accommodation Services To Check-in Mandiri

Illustration of check-in lodging. (Unsplash/Helena Lopes)

JAKARTA - Italian authorities prohibit the independent check-in activities of rental accommodation service users such as Airbnb, as new laws are needed to combat potential terrorism.

The Italian Ministry of Home Affairs said, along with these provisions, law enforcement officers would be deployed to transfer Airbnb accommodation key boxes commonly used for self-checks, quoted from CNN December 22.

This prohibition tightens the applicable rules, where physical examinations must be carried out directly.

In recent years, the property manager has only sent photocopies or photos from cell phones to messaging services to comply with the provisions of all tenants, regardless of the duration of their stay, must be registered at the local police station.

This new regulation is needed to implement strict measures aimed at preventing risks to public order and security in connection with possible accommodation of dangerous people or those linked to criminal organizations or terrorists, according to a circular announcing the ban.

The imposition of this ban is in line with Rome, which is preparing to welcome the year of the Vatican's Holy Yubileum in 2025, while Italy will host the Winter Olympics in Cortina in 2026.

The decision to impose the ban was made "Given the increasingly intensive phenomenon of short-term rental across the country, related to various political, cultural and religious events scheduled in the country, as well as in the context of the celebration of Yubileum, which according to estimates will bring 30-35 million tourists to Italy," the circular said.

Meanwhile, Roma Mayor Roberto Gualtieri praised the ban, after similar rules were imposed in Florence last November.

"I express my appreciation for the decisions I have expected for some time, which clarify and ensure better abuse prevention, more effective access control, and early brakes on unhealthy competition," he said in a statement to CNN.

Meanwhile, Italian Tourism Minister Daniela Santanché called the ban an "an important step towards preventing risks and ensuring a peaceful and positive tourist experience."

Separately, Airbnb in a statement to CNN said it was taking security seriously and supported official efforts to crack down on illegal key boxes in public spaces. However, they defended self-check-in as a "comfortable choice for hosts and guests to arrange arrivals in a flexible manner."

"While we remain committed to promoting responsible hosting and ensuring our platform continues to offer a safe and pleasant experience to everyone, we look forward to working closely with the Italian government in a solution that helps address local security issues while meeting the needs of our hosts and guest communities," Airbnb said in a statement.