Recently, in Desenzano, the debate surrounding short-term rentals and holiday homes has intensified, with hotel associations calling for stricter regulations and controls to manage the issue of overtourism. During a conference organized by Desenzano Holiday, it was revealed that in 2024, tourist bookings on the lake increased by 11% compared to the previous year. Hoteliers, represented by Emanuele Bonotto from Federalberghi, emphasized the importance of establishing fair regulations to ensure appropriate decorum and the protection of services, highlighting that there are currently over 10,000 holiday homes in the province.
In response to this situation, a group of citizens has initiated a petition to limit the expansion of holiday homes in order to protect the right to housing. Barbara Quaresmini, president of Confesercenti Lombardia Orientale, pointed out a regulatory imbalance between hotels and short-term rentals, stressing how this is negatively affecting the availability of long-term housing for young people in historic centers. At the same time, the Collettivo Gardesano Autonomo has submitted a petition to the municipality requesting specific measures such as the requirement for a change of use for non-hotel activities and tax incentives for long-term residential rentals.
