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Italy has introduced a new ban for tourists (Image: Getty)
Italian authorities has introduced a new ban which will hit tourists in a bid to step up security in the popular European destination. Airbnb hosts will now have to identify guests in person instead of remote verification, eliminating the purpose of lockboxes in short-term rental houses.
Lockboxes or key boxes are commonly placed on doors, allowing guests to check in using a code without needing to meet the hosts in person.
However, the Italian Interior Ministry has now banned lock boxes and says tourists must meet with their hosts before entering a short-term rental property.
Vittorio Pisani, Italy's police chief, said, according to Barron's: “The need has arisen to implement stringent measures aimed at preventing risks to public order and safety in relation to the possible housing of dangerous persons and/or persons linked to criminal or terrorist organisations.”
The Department of Public Security stated in a circular published online, via translation: “The need to implement stringent measures aimed at preventing risks to public order and safety in relation to the possible accommodation of dangerous people and/or people linked to criminal or terrorist organisations emerges.
In 2023, the Lazio region, home to Rome, welcomed 36 million tourists (Image: Getty)
“To this end, it is considered appropriate to fully examine and provide clarifications regarding the critical issues connected to the established procedure of ‘remote identification’ of guests of short-term accommodation facilities through electronic transmission of copies of documents and access to accommodation with an automated opening code, or through the installation of key boxes at the entrance.”
Commenting on the recent steps, a spokesperson from Airbnb told Fox News Digital: “At Airbnb we take security very seriously and recognise the importance of adhering to local regulations and ensuring the safety and security of all parties involved.
“That is why we support cities in their effort to boost in-person hospitality, cracking down on illegal Key Boxes in public spaces through educational campaigns and encouraging our community to prioritise in-person guest welcoming.”
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Self check-ins are convenient for hosts and guests to coordinate and “manage arrivals in a flexible way and adapt to occasional unexpected changes in travel plans,” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson continued: “They’re used all around the world and combined with our guest identity verification, they have also provided high security standards.”
The timing of the self check-in ban aligns with a series of significant events expected to draw more tourists to Rome in the coming months, including the 2025 Jubilee, also referred to as the Holy Year of the Catholic Church.
This sacred event commences on December 24, when Pope Francis will open the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.
In 2023, the Lazio region, home to Rome, welcomed 36 million tourists, according to the Roma Capitale annual statistics report.
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