Italy has imposed a nationwide ban on short-term rental self-check-in processes, including the use of key boxes. The measure obliges owners to identify their guests personally. The order, issued by Police Chief Vittorio Pisani on November 18, 2024, aims to suppress possible risks from unfamiliar accommodations.
Italy Bans Check-In Key Boxes Over Security Fears
The Italian Interior Ministry underscored that the measure must be adopted so as to not house persons associated with criminal or terrorist groups. The ministry also pointed out that automatic check-in systems would permit unidentified people to fill properties, risking potential harm to public security. This is particularly timely when the country is preparing to host big events, such as the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee celebration, expected to attract millions of visitors.
Local Reactions And Resident Initiatives
Before the national decree, cities such as Florence had already intervened against the spread of key boxes. Mayor Sara Funaro initiated a ten-point programme to promote sustainable tourism and safeguard the city’s heritage. The plan includes banning key boxes in the historic centre, both for security reasons and for the visual effect on the UNESCO-protected area.
Residents have grumbled about the spread of short-term rentals through key boxes, which they perceive as leading to over-tourism and local community disruption. Activist groups, including “Save Florence,” have even resorted to tagging key boxes with red Xs in protest at their existence and the tourists they bring.
Implications For Property Owners And Tourists
This prohibition has made it so that property owners now have to receive visitors personally to hand over keys and verify identities. This is to make sure that all persons in the facility are documented properly, hence attaining security as well as compliance with local laws.
While this will create logistical problems for hosts and guests, the overall purpose is to safeguard communities and maintain public order. Italy’s initiative to ban check-in key boxes is a brave step toward finding a balance between tourism, security, and residents’ well-being. Although it might be bothersome for others, it essentially aims at protecting communities.
Do you think that this move will set a precedent for other tourist-inhabited cities in the world?
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva & Wikipedia Commons
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