LIVORNO. Maybe it’s because habits have changed with the pandemic and we prefer to “carve out” weekends (perhaps longer) rather than entire weeks. Maybe it’s because the phenomenon of short-term rentals is also popular in Livorno and this is where the surprise comes in: our city is among the most expensive destinations in Tuscany on the Airbnb portal. In practice, if it were a ranking, it would be placed just below the Cradle of the Renaissance (Florence’s prices still remain the highest in our region), much higher than Pisa. This is how Livorno, almost suddenly, was discovered by tourists with a perhaps unexpected boom. And it’s a popular destination. For cruise passengers who land at the port and then choose to visit the centre, but also for those who want to treat themselves to a weekend between sea, nature and good food.
The simulation
The Tyrrhenian Sea he connected to the Airbnb portal and ran some simulations based on the availability of apartments in the period 14-16 June. The result? For a couple, two nights in Livorno cost a total of around 200 euros which rise to 331 in the case of a family with two children. Not very far from Florence which, in the same period and under the same conditions, offers a stay at the price of 299 euros (couple) and 349 euros (for a family). Lower prices, however, in Pisa and Lucca as well as in Cecina and San Vincenzo. «We notice a great interest in short-term rentals in Livorno – explains Simone Beni, regional president of the Italian Federation of professional real estate agents (Fiaip) – We too have noticed this phenomenon: there is a greater demand for apartments compared to the number of those actually present on the market. Also because habits have changed: travel is no longer for long periods as in the past, but we often move for very short periods. Today, compared to the past, it is easier to carve out a slightly longer weekend rather than a real holiday. It can also happen that you go to a city for work reasons and choose an apartment instead of a hotel room. Here, a phenomenon has begun that is producing unexpected numbers and is growing significantly. In Livorno, now, it is difficult to find a property to buy for under 70 thousand euros because whoever owns this type of apartment prefers to rent it out.” Also because it is more convenient. «The convenience is multiple – underlines President Beni – It means, in fact, always having the property available: by inserting it into circuits such as Airbnb, it is possible to block the availability and therefore regain possession of the apartment whenever you want».
House hunting
And if on the one hand we are witnessing a surge in short-term rentals (in terms of demand as well as costs), on the other, being able to find a house to rent in Livorno for long periods is increasingly an impossible mission. And those who buy to rent raise the stakes (read: the rent). An example (one of many) dates back to recent days. «I was managing the negotiation for a two-room apartment on the fifth floor, without a lift, in the Piazza della Repubblica area, at a price of 500 euros per month – specifies Beni – We published the advert in the evening and the next morning we already had 24 requests».
The request
Gianni Vignoli, president of Federalberghi Livorno, explains however that we are faced with a form of unfair competition. “We need precise rules, we can’t put it off any longer,” he underlines. It is welcome – specifies the president of the hoteliers – that «our city is a destination that attracts tourists. «The important numbers of these days are to be linked above all to cruises – underlines Vignoli – It would be important for shipowners to study packages in which cruise passengers can spend at least one night in Livorno and then embark the following morning. Now, however, boarding times are generally set in the evening and this means that tourists only stay in the city for a few hours.” Then there is another aspect: the tourist tax. «Of course, when we talk about short-term rentals, the unfair competition is towards companies: those who manage the apartments do not have the same costs as a hotelier – adds Vignoli – but the damage is also borne by the community. In fact, those who stay in those structures do not pay the tourist tax. In short, on all fronts an aspect of disparity is created on which the institutions must intervene. We have been asking for this for a long time, but now we need solutions. More precisely: certain and above all equal rules for all hospitality players. Enough with the disparities.”
The record-breaking portal
In this framework, promotion plays a central role. The data speaks clearly: the tourist promotion portal of the Livorno area (www.visit-livorno.it) is achieving important results even before the sponsorship actions start. For professionals, we talk about “organic” results and they are those that best represent the appeal that a site manages to have on users without being suggested to them for a fee. The portal was presented on February 23rd, immediately attracting 2,000 unique visitors. Confirmation came from the data for the following months, with 4,412 unique accesses in March, 6,481 in April and 14,789 in May, therefore with a +126.3% on April.
The growth trend is also confirmed for the current month, considering that in the first week of June alone we have already reached 4,738 unique visitors and that the promotional campaigns have just started. Not only that: the launch of the new video spot on Livorno aims to encourage interaction with the site and, therefore, further enrich the number of unique users. If these are the conditions, it will be a record summer for Livorno.l
