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Just over half of those voting support ban in district

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Budapest among Europe's top short-term destinations

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Decision could have wider ramifications for market

BUDAPEST, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Residents of Budapest's

sixth district have narrowly voted to ban short-term rentals

from 2026 in a decision which could have wider ramifications for

the housing market in one of Europe's most popular tourist

destinations.

Eurostat figures show almost 719 million guest nights spent

in the European Union were booked via online platforms Airbnb ( ABNB ),

Booking, Expedia Group ( EXPE ) and Tripadvisor ( TRIP ) last year, with Paris

leading EU capitals with over 19 million guest nights.

Within central Europe, Budapest was the most popular for

short-term stays with 6.7 million guest nights, ahead of Vienna,

Prague, Warsaw, Krakow and others.

Results published on the Budapest district's website early

on Monday showed 54% of voters backing the ban with 20.52%

turnout, which the district said was well above levels seen at

other local initiatives.

"The majority of YES votes signals that residents of the

district value the peace of their home more than lost revenue,"

the local council said in a statement.

District mayor Tamas Soproni has said the city's popularity

has justified asking locals about the impact of short-term stays

on housing affordability and quality of life.

Opponents of a ban have said the move would hit revenue not

just for apartment hosts but nearby cafes and restaurants

catering largely to foreign tourists.

The outcome of the vote could have wider implications, with

Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government mulling regulation on

short-term rentals, which the economy minister says contribute

to a housing shortage and high prices.

Real estate website ingatlan.com said last week that the

supply of high-end apartments for sale in the sixth district had

increased by nearly 3% over the past month, with prices dropping

by 1% in a possible sign of the expected outcome of the vote.