Introduction to Part Five

Abstract

This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part focuses on the ramifications of digital platforms and technological advancements on urban space and, especially, on housing markets. It also focuses on cities in southern Europe, which have been on the frontlines of both the housing market consequences of short-term rentals and organized resistance to them. In one of the earliest and still most important contributions to a fast-growing literature, the part analyzes the explosive growth of short-term rentals in Barcelona, Spain – a city with a housing market that has almost become synonymous with Airbnb and its displacement effects. It analyzes the holiday rental supply in Madrid over three years (2015–2018), verifying a strong association between the growth in tourist arrivals, the settlement of new residents from wealthy economic backgrounds, and increasing rental prices.