Paris has 65,000 Airbnb listings alone, sparking charges by city officials that the company is pushing up rents by encouraging people to favour the tourist market over residents. In her letter, Hidalgo said she could outlaw short-term tourist rentals in some parts of the city altogether if tighter restrictions are not put in place at the national level. "By removing a significant number of lodgings from Paris, Airbnb contributes to rising rents and worsens the shortage of apartments on the rental market, at a cost for all Parisians, in particular the middle class," Hidalgo wrote. She also accused the platform of "destabilising local businesses and competing harshly with traditional hotels." Hidalgo's deputy mayor in charge of housing, Ian Brossat, told AFP on Monday that he regretted the IOC's choice of partner "at a time when many cities in Europe and the world are fighting back against Airbnb."

Source: The Local November 18, 2019 15:56 UTC