ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how this phenomenon is playing out in San Sebastián, Spain, in terms of altering the “zoning” of the city, with Airbnb rentals effectively crossing what was previously an invisible border between what may be called the residential neighborhood and the tourist center. The primary target for this backlash is peer-to-peer housing platforms, primarily Airbnb, which are accused of causing gentrification and altering the composition of tourist centers, as well as traditional neighborhoods. A common term in travel parlance is “tourist center,” along with synonyms such as “tourist zone” or “tourist area.” A tourist walks into a bar. Actually, it was a pastry shop, a small, Basque-based chain by the name of Ogi Berri which carries a delicious selection of croissants and danishes while serving as a popular morning hub for many neighborhoods in Basque Country. Barcelona provides a quintessential example, receiving approximately twenty million tourists annually.
