Ourania Gkania, Maria-Emmanouela Loulaki, "Short-termal rental and its effect on gentrifying tourist areas", Diploma Thesis Project, School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece, 2020
https://doi.org/10.26233/heallink.tuc.87632
The purpose of the present thesis is to study the phenomenon of gentrification in view of overtourism and in relation to the growth of short-term rental in highly developed tourist areas. In the first chapter, the theoretical context of gentrification and overtourism is being analyzed. Subsequently, the cultural and social parameters that affect the phenomenon are being studied, as well as the approach of gentrification through commercialization. An analysis of the concepts of overtourism and sharing economy is then presented in order to understand the new form of short-term rental, which poses risks for both tourism development and the urban fabric. The main research element is the most popular short-term rental platform, Airbnb. This theoretical analysis is followed by a showcase of examples of individual European cities. As case studies, the cities of Paris, Barcelona and Venice are chosen, as they all share a highly developed tourism sector, with regard to the local conditions, as well as an intense growth of short-term rental.