A/HRC/34/51/Add.2 5. “Touristification’’ and short-term rentals 61. Tourism is essential to the economic recovery of Portugal, and a key source of income for many households. The historic centres of Lisbon and Porto are today major tourist destinations. The revitalization of historic city centres (particularly in Porto, which was characterized by its dilapidated and abandoned buildings, and reportedly high rates of drug use and violence), is a positive development. Although the centre of Porto was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site 20 years ago, significant touristic flow has increased only in recent years. 62. In this context, short-term rentals mostly for tourists have increased significantly in recent years, the result of a combination of factors. First, the adoption in June 2008 of an administrative rule, Portaria 517/2008, allowing for rental of apartments, houses and rooms for temporary accommodation; second, as a result of the New Urban Rental Regime, which allows the eviction of existing tenants where a building is to be renovated, more owners are investing in renovations then leasing out their properties on a short-term basis in order to recover expenses as swiftly as possible; and third, the increases in the tourist industry in Portugal, especially in Porto and Lisbon. 63. Turismo de Portugal is in charge of maintaining a national registry of local accommodation (RNAL). According to figures provided by the Government, 31,339 properties had been registered for local accommodation or short-term rental in mainland Portugal, only 0.55 per cent of total housing stock. In addition, only a few neighbourhoods in the historic centres of Lisbon and Porto have more than 10 per cent of their housing stock devoted to short-term accommodation. 64. Short-term rentals, especially when they become the primary form of occupation of specific neighbourhoods, can weaken community networks and the social fabric of a city, which in turn undermines the promotion of long-term rental as an essential tenure system for local residents. Indeed, a study conducted in November 2016 found that rental prices had increased considerably in recent years. The study also found that the number of officially registered short-term rentals and those advertised on digital platforms (such as Airbnb) was unreliable, which made it difficult to regulate requirements, collect taxes or collect data necessary for human rights compliant decision-making. 65. Unbridled “touristification’’ can have other negative effects on the enjoyment of the right to housing for the most vulnerable populations. When landlord choose to sell or to renovate their property, many families may be displaced from their neighbourhoods owing to lack of affordable housing elsewhere, or are more easily evicted in the process. The Special Rapporteur observed that some property owners, particularly in the historic centres of Lisbon and Porto, are choosing either to renovate their properties or to convert them to luxury rental units for short-term rental, or are selling their properties to foreign investors, who often do the same. Since nightly rates are, on average, more affordable than those for a hotel room but more lucrative than long-term rental prices, it creates an incentive for property owners to convert their homes or buildings accordingly, which in turn reduces the stock of available units and causes the price of housing in those neighbourhoods to rise. The Special Rapporteur was informed that, in some areas, rents had actually doubled in only a short period of time, making them unaffordable to many families, especially to those who rely on social support. 66. The Government has taken some steps to curb the proliferation of short-term rentals by taxing, at a higher rate, developers and the property owners who create them. The Special Rapporteur understands that the Government has also introduced a programme that subsidizes rent in the historic city centres so that those living below the poverty line (less than 439 euros/month) pay between 30 and 40 per cent less than the current market rate. 14