airbnb

The company advised them to leave the apartment immediately

A couple were forced to flee their Airbnb after they found hidden cameras pointed directly at their bed. Donna and Raymond Nunn had travelled to Madrid, Spain on a “bucket-list” trip to celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary this month.

When they first arrived at the apartment in Lavapies, a central suburb of Madrid, on August 3, 2026 they noticed a motion sensor in the living room pointed towards the front door. There were no flashing lights so they decided to not worry.

The following day while Donna, 62, was out sightseeing Raymond, 87, noticed a camera in the bedroom facing the bed with a green light flashing. The couple reached out to Airbnb for advice and were told to leave the apartment immediately, but it was 8pm so they were forced to stay overnight until they could safely find another place to stay the following day.

Donna and Raymond, who was in the Royal Artillery for 25 years, left in the morning for an apartment two hours south of Madrid. Donna, a pensioner originally from Kent, said: “We live in Spain but we were going to Madrid as a bucket-list trip that we’ve wanted to do for ages and to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary this month.

“We booked in March and had a typical conversation with the host who planned to meet us there. When we first arrived, the host was nowhere to be found but instructed us via webchat as to how to get into the property.

“When we finally made it inside the apartment, we noticed the camera in the living room as it was facing us as we walked in, but there were no lights on it so we presumed it was off. However we didn’t notice the camera in the bedroom until the next day after we had already slept in the bed.

“I was out sightseeing but my husband is less mobile so stayed at home and he noticed the light in the camera was flickering. The light wasn’t on the day before so I think it was one that can be remotely turned on and off when the host wants. We were extremely frightened by the discovery.

“The camera was about four inches in length and tucked in the corner, but pointed directly towards the bed. It can’t have been there for security reasons. It felt like we were being watched inside what should have been a safe and private space.”

Donna said the couple were terrified and contacted Airbnb straight away on August 4. She said: “We were both shaking when we realised, and reached out to Airbnb. They told us to leave immediately which made us even more worried.

“It was about 8 o’clock at night by that point so it was too late for us to move and we couldn’t find another place close by. Raymond took the camera off the wall and turned it around but it was horrifying. We managed to book another place a couple of hours away, which was nice but meant that we couldn’t finish the sightseeing.

“It’s a shame because we will never go back to Madrid now because of this.”

The couple left the Airbnb on August 5, 2026 just two days after they arrived for the anniversary trip. In 2024, Airbnb introduced a worldwide ban on the use of security cameras inside rental properties following a consultation with guests, hosts and privacy experts.

The rules allow the use of doorbell cameras and noise monitors in common areas, but these have to be disclosed on the property’s listing page. Airbnb have taken the listing off of the website and Donna and Raymond have received a full refund for the trip and the rebooking.

An Airbnb spokesperson said: “We have issued a full refund to the guest and have suspended the listing while we conduct a further investigation into this matter. In 2024, we banned all indoor security cameras in listings regardless of where they are placed, or whether they are deactivated during guest stays. In the rare event of a violation of our policy on security cameras we take appropriate action, which can include removing listings and users from Airbnb.

“Stays reserved through Airbnb are overwhelmingly defined by positive experiences, and we take any reports of issues made to us seriously.”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordered city agencies on Friday to delay the processing of rebuilding permits for the Lineage burned-out cold storage warehouse in Boyle Heights until regulators have found ways to subject the project to strict environmental review.

In an executive order, Bass said the city’s planning and building and safety departments must also determine whether the application to rebuild the Lineage facility — which was destroyed in June, leaving behind an estimated 85 million tons of smelly, rotting food — should be subjected to a lengthy “discretionary review” process.

The mayor also asked the council to approve a moratorium on large cold storage facilities in proximity to residential neighborhoods and sensitive uses, such as parks and schools.

The moratorium, depending on the actions of the City Council, can be kept in place for up to two years, according to the mayor’s team.

Clean-up continues at the Lineage cold storage warehouse on Friday in Boyle Heights.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

“They shouldn’t even think about rebuilding until they’ve cleaned up the mess they’ve created,” Bass said at a Friday news conference. “This is why I am directing city departments to put their plans up on a shelf while a thorough investigation of the property and any future use is conducted.”

Bass stood in front of a display that accused Lineage of refusing to provide sufficient support to help nearby residents relocate to other parts of the city. The display also said the company had refused to address unsanitary conditions, including odors and the spread of flies and rodents into nearby properties.

Bass’ team said 3,800 complaints about Lineage have been lodged with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which has issued 19 violation notices to the company.

The city and county secured $1.6 million for emergency housing relocation through Airbnb and housing nonprofits, sheltering more than 1,300 residents and hundreds of pets. Bass said Lineage provided only $100,000 for those efforts.

“That’s less than 7% of what we’ve provided,” she said Friday.

Silvia Corona joins Boyle Heights residents to voice her frustration during a rally Friday demanding Lineage permanently shut down the facility and leave Boyle Heights.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

In a series of statements posted to Lineage’s website Thursday and Friday, the company said it disagrees with the characterization of its cleanup efforts, and company officials said they submit daily reports to authorities and regulators and post frequent updates online.

“Since gaining full access to the site on the evening of July 6, Lineage has removed more than 60% of food waste and continues to execute the fastest and safest possible cleanup,” the company said. “Lineage has been going door-to-door to the nearly 800 households closest to the warehouse — those designated by the city and county as closest to the site.”

In doing so, the company maintains that it has provided hundreds of air purifiers, air conditioning units, N95 masks, drinking water, grocery vouchers, cash assistance and relocation support to 85% of those households.

Amid this week’s recovery efforts, Lineage representatives filed permits with the city to rebuild the warehouse to its “pre-fire condition” Monday. The move drew swift condemnation from locals and Bass, who decried the application as “a slap in the face” to Boyle Heights families.

Bass said the Friday directive will not be her last executive order mobilizing resources for Boyle Heights following the fire.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said she felt like she “was in a war zone,” after visiting the warehouse site.

Solis said that she was planning to present a motion at a Tuesday Board of Supervisors meeting aimed at increasing consequences for businesses that commit public health violations, and expanding support for affected residents.

The county is also taking steps to expand access to landfills beyond normal operating hours to allow Lineage to remove noxious debris around the clock.

“We know that the money is going to run out in terms of Airbnb and providing assistance,” Solis said. “That has to come in right away.”

A day earlier, city officials announced that cleanup efforts at the Lineage cold-storage warehouse in Boyle Heights were nearing the halfway mark, six weeks after a fire at the depot left millions of pounds of rotting food to pollute the Los Angeles neighborhood.

The city’s focus is shifting from providing immediate relief to removing noxious debris, reducing foul odors and tainted air, and putting affected residents into interim housing, said Jon Brown, assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department.

Lineage states the fire started during rooftop solar testing by subcontractor Altus Power. Altus has denied responsibility, stating that the cause is undetermined and accusing Lineage of finger-pointing instead of focusing on community relief.

Residents served Lineage a lawsuit seeking medical damages, noting a similar rooftop solar fire occurred at the facility in 2024.

Bass clarified that the investigation into who is responsible for the fire is still underway, but said Lineage needs to answer for what followed. She accused the company of failing to properly disclose that meat products were stored at the site to begin with, and said the company has been too slow to remove the waste.

She remains skeptical that she’ll ever allow the company to operate in Los Angeles in the future.

“It would be very hard for me to imagine the day that we would welcome Lineage back,” Bass told a Times reporter Friday.

Solis and Los Angeles City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado concurred with the mayor’s assessment, with Jurado going as far as to say she definitely” [wants] to stop any rebuilding permit” for Lineage.

As the mayor’s news conference came to an end, Boyle Heights residents rallied outside the Lineage warehouse facility, briefly shutting down a stretch of Olympic Boulevard just north of the disaster site.

Protesters demanded Lineage’s unconditional removal from the community and said that aid from the city, county and local nonprofit organizations has dried up.

“We’re asking for Lineage to leave our community now and forever,” Estuardo Mazariegos, a candidate for City Council District 9, said at the rally.

At the protests, dozens chanted slogans, including “afuera Lineage! (Lineage out)” and toted signs reading “clean water over profits” and “you’re poisoning us.”

Many at the rally called for Lineage to pay every bill that comes out of the crisis, including waste remediation, interim housing costs and lofty medical bills. Emergency room visits for smoke inhalation and throat pain spiked following the first days of the fire, and residents want the company held financially responsible.

Antonia Montes, an area resident, said she was relieved that Bass was stepping up, but more needs to be done.

“I’m glad she’s now saying that she doesn’t want them here, but we’re saying, ‘what’s the plan to make sure they’re not here?’ ” Montes said. “The next step is to stop it right there and not let them renew their permit and make sure they’re gone.”

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has wrapped, but some Angelenos who rented their homes to fans are still tallying up profits from a month of soccer frenzy in the city.

Driven by projections of massive tourism and a $750 first-time host incentive from Airbnb, many local property owners expected a sizable payout. While some savvy owners were able to cash in big during the tournament, others experienced only a moderate bump.

But something they all walked away with was some extra cash in their pockets and a blueprint for the LA28 Olympics.

We spoke with three L.A. Airbnb hosts to find out what they earned through their rentals during the World Cup, the luxurious renovations and amenities that helped their properties stand out and what advice they’d give others to prepare for the next global gold rush.

Wellness retreat-inspired house in Inglewood, 3 bedrooms

Lia Pilla turned one of her Airbnb properties into what she calls the Pink Palms Retreat. The Inglewood home features an infrared sauna, a large hot tub and more.

Rental host: Lia Pilla

How long have you been a host? Since 2021

Pre-World Cup rate: Ranged from $350 to $550

Price during the World Cup: During opening weekend, I got $2,730 for two nights. Of course, I have to pay a cleaning fee, but just in two nights, I’m a few hundred short of paying my mortgage, so that was really cool. For the following games, I maybe got like $400 to $500 a night. Then for the final weekend, I got like $3,400 for four nights, so it went back up.

What updates did you make, if any, to prepare? Last July, I did a full remodel of the house and turned it into what I call Pink Palms Spa Retreat. It’s all pink on the outside. It has an infrared sauna and a huge hot tub that can fit up to like 20 people. It has a large dining table with a firepit on top of the table, lush privacy trees and a custom gym.

Were you surprised with how things played out? I was expecting to make a couple hundred thousand off this World Cup, I’m not gonna lie, but I didn’t so I was like “OK. That kind of sucks.” I think L.A. got a little bit [cheated] with the teams we had. We had Team USA, which was cool, but we didn’t have any of the the big name teams like Argentina or France or Spain, so I think that’s one reason why the prices weren’t as high. I also think the political climate has made a big impact. Some people are scared to come to the U.S. or they aren’t allowed to come. But I’m happy with what I did get.

What’s one thing you’re thinking about doing with the money you made? I always invest back into the business. I want to touch up everything at all of my properties, so it continues to look like the pictures because your reviews are so important. I also have a Europe vacation planned.

Any advice for hosts preparing for the Olympics? Do your research on the market. Think “If I’m traveling to Los Angeles, what would I want?” because it’s also about the experience you create. Know what amenities people like. If you’re starting out or you’re already a host, I highly recommend having software in place for property management, cleaning and pricing.

‘Hillside hideaway’ in Woodland Hills, 2 bedrooms

Matthew Motamedi was surprised to see an influx of bookings on his Woodland Hills hideaway, which is roughly 30 miles away from SoFi Stadium.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Rental host: Matthew Motamedi

How long have you been a host? Since July 2025

Pre-World Cup rate: In late spring, we were charging $250-$280 per night on average.

Price during the World Cup: It was around $300, which is normal during July for us. We undercut the hotels and some of the other listings in our area by $100.

What updates did you make, if any, to prepare? We added a super crazy, comfy couch made of fake fur and people love it. That’s one of the important things about an Airbnb. There needs to be a really good hangout spot, so the couch needs to be super comfortable, and if the couch isn’t comfortable, no one wants to stay there.

Were you surprised with how things played out? Our property was so far away from SoFi Stadium (nearly 30 miles) so I thought it was going to be a non-event for us. It was supposed to be like that, but it definitely affected us because I started getting a lot of European and Spanish-speaking tenants.

What’s one thing you’re thinking about doing with the money you made? We’re definitely putting the extra money back into the property because we’re not there yet. There’s so much we want to do. During the World Cup, I was able to upgrade the AC unit, added a smart thermostat and invested in landscaping, which we want to do more of. We want to invest in the curb appeal and add more outdoor furniture. Maybe a movie room. We also want to get an auto pen so we can write handwritten cards for guests because it’s kind of hard to write perfect handwriting in different languages and in cursive. [Laughs] You can pick a font and it holds a ballpoint pen. To have that would be really cool.

Any advice for hosts preparing for the Olympics? You have to curate the experience and get more involved. If you can’t get involved, you need a co-host. Find a cousin, a sister, a brother, a friend, someone you trust with good taste to help you. Also, don’t just put up random paintings. Make it so that people want to move there. A lot of my guests are like “I wish I could live here.” You need a hotel scent and to provide laundry supplies. Ask your guests about their allergies and snack preferences then put together a snack basket. They freak out when they see that. Have a comfy couch, add plants like the fiddle-leaf fig (it looks bougie and you only have to water it once a week) and get a good cleaner. With that, you’re going to do really well.

Modern suite with luxurious amenities in Westchester, 1 bedroom, 2 guests

Sara Geissler at one of her Airbnb units.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Rental host: Sara Geissler

How long have you been a host? I started my [rental management] business about 10 years ago, but have been a full-time host for roughly eight years.

Pre-World Cup rate: About $195 a night.

Price during the World Cup: $234, which is about a 15% increase so a little bump. It wasn’t anything crazy.

Were you surprised with how things played out? I probably was expecting a little bit more because it was such a huge event. What I was a little surprised by though was how long the stays were. I was thinking that people were going to come in for a few days, but most of my stays were for a week or longer. We were pretty booked. I think we only had a couple days in between bookings.

What updates did you make, if any, to prepare? We bought the home a year ago and we’ve been getting it ready for the last four months. I added a private hot tub and an Eight Sleep Pod, which is a really fancy mattress topper that heats and cools your mattress. I tried to go all out with my amenities. We’ve got all the fancy soaps, deluxe robes and we added a washer and dryer. I always think about what I’d want when I’m traveling. I always put Q-tips, cotton balls and makeup wipes. For the kitchen, just having all the little stuff you need there. A wine bottle opener is No. 1.

What’s one thing you’re thinking about doing with the money you made? Paying my property taxes and my mortgage. [Laughs] Honestly, we’re putting it toward our living expenses and being able to afford our house. It’s been a huge help because everything is so high.

Any advice for hosts preparing for the Olympics? Really think about what you would want and put yourself in the shoes of the traveler. I always recommend people to try out your space before they rent it out. That will help you realize things like this faucet doesn’t get hot water or I forgot to put an ice cream scoop in the kitchen. You don’t want your guest to be a guinea pig.

HOLLYWOOD filmmaker Guy Ritchie has been given the go-ahead to create Airbnbs on his historic airfield.

The Brit director angered local residents with his scheme to turn staff accommodation at Compton Abbas Airfield in Dorset into holiday lets.

They have accused him of trying to build an “aviation theme park by stealth” and “by any means” with no consideration for he local environment.

They fear his ultimate goal is to have a hotel on the sensitive site which is in the Dorset National Landscape and part of the Cranborne Chase International Dark Sky Reserve.

The Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director has already opened a smokehouse restaurant and re-routed a 130-year-old public footpath since buying the airfield in 2022.

He puts on Spitfire flight experiences and has turned the airfield into a popular visitor destination with events held throughout the year.

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Now his plans for two holiday apartments – one two-bedroom and one four-bedroom – have been won planning permission.

They will allow guests to stay overnight while they enjoy flying experiences during the day.

The airfield has had permission for a flat for live-in staff since 2005.

Locals argued this was for a member of staff to live on site to provide “security and safety”.

But Dorset Council disagreed and said there was no planning reason to refuse it.

Planning officer Jamie Francis said: “The owner has been open that they are seeking to generate additional income streams for the airfield, which would have personal gain, this is also considered to bring economic benefits to the area.

“Overall, the re-use of the building for tourist accommodation in place of staff accommodation is considered acceptable.

“A condition has been applied to ensure that the accommodation is used for short term lets only and not for permanent residential accommodation.

“The conversion of one unit of staff accommodation and one office unit to two units of holiday accommodation is considered acceptable.

“In addition, two units of accommodation to two units of holiday accommodation are considered acceptable.

“Therefore, the Council see no reason to refuse the application on this basis.

“The impact of holiday accommodation is anticipated to have a negligible impact on neighbouring amenity, air pollution, and the overall business of the airfield and flight activities.”

The airfield is near Ritchie’s Ashcombe Estate on the Dorset/Wiltshire border.

He previously shared Ashcombe House with ex-wife Madonna and now he and wife Jacqui split their time between their London home and the country estate.

He has hosted celebrity pals there, including David Beckham and Robert Downey Jnr.

Neighbour Christopher Dymond said the regular flying events caused a nuisance and disturbance to neighbours and likened going into his garden to “walking onto a WW2 film set”.

Mr Dymond said: “Compton Abbas Airfield, until recently, was a polite small grass airfield run for local flying enthusiasts and was managed carefully to reflect the incredibly sensitive location and the proximity of local villages.

“The airfield now is run on a much more commercial basis and largely by stealth is morphing into an aviation theme park with numerous events, shows and visitor attractions.

“The nuisance and disturbance to local residents has increased significantly and many of the historic planning restrictions governing the airfield are not being adhered to.

“Often, on a summer weekend, entering your garden is like walking onto a WW2 film set with noisy historic aircraft constantly flying overhead.

“The current apartment was only allowed on the basis it was an absolute necessity for a member of staff to be on site for safety and security reasons.

“If this safety and security requirement is no longer a necessity there are provisions in the planning legal agreements for the use to cease, not for it to be opened up for paying visitors to stay on the site, without any staff presence.”

Philip Cayford, a neighbour and member of the Compton Abbas Airfield Monitoring Group, said: “It began as a small private strip capable of hosting up to six small aircraft.

“It has long since been accepted that the original permission was a planning mistake; councils since that time have accepted the need to curb the expansion pushed for by successive owners.

“The current application would appear to be a further attempt to increase the size and profitability of this site by any means with no regard whatever for environmental issues or the inconvenience to local residents.

“Approving this application would constitute one further step in the commercial development of one of the most beautiful and sensitive rural landscapes in southern England, and as such is quite inappropriate.”

The Sun has approached Ritchie’s reps for comment.

FEW pics of celebs make me green with envy like their holiday snaps. 

The likes of Beyonce, Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss lounging on a cool boat in the Med while I sweat off my suncream on a sandy beach towel onshore, really make me question my career choices in life. 

But it turns out, you don’t need to be an A-Lister to get a taste of the high-life. 

On my recent trip to the South of France I discovered Samboat, a website that’s essentially the AirBnB of boats, which lets you hire people’s personal luxury speedboats and yachts for the day. 

What it means in practice is that rich people can lease out their boats when they’re not using them, for some extra cash. 

Samboat does have locations in the UK with boats on offer, but it really comes into its own in places like the French Riviera, where there are loads of millionaires with boats lying idle in the marina. 

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I went on a family narrow boat holiday with UK countryside and pub stops

After scouring the website for the best boat for my mum friend and I, plus our three seven-year-old boys, I decided upon a Jeanneau Merry Fisher 900 Cruiser motorboat – massive at 9m long – that could fit up to 12 people. 

It was HUGE. With a large shaded area for lunches, an enormous bow that was bigger than my living room at home, and even an indoor living room downstairs. 

Because they have so many boats in the region, we were able to pick one that was just 10 minutes drive from our campsite, in Port Grimaud. 

The plan had originally been to moor somewhere around midday and grab lunch at a beachfront restaurant, much like Kate Moss and co. do when they disembark their yachts for magnums or rose and seafood towers at Club 55. 

But our skipper suggested our time would be much better spent picnicking on the water in a secluded bay, so we stocked up on supplies at the marina supermarket (turns out marina supermarkets that service posh boat owners are LOVELY – we got freshly-baked pastries, perfectly ripe brie, some very nice rose wine and plenty more goodies before setting out). 

And thank goodness he had put his foot down, because there was no way we would have got our boys off that boat with the promise of a boring restaurant meal. 

Instead, they loaded up on madeleine cakes and cheetos, while intermittently jumping off the side to ‘wash their hands’ of the cheesy crisps. 

There was one hair-raising moment where we discovered there wasn’t a bottle opener onboard for our wine, which meant a swim to one of the other posh boats in the bay to beg for a bottle opener – but hey, it’s all part of the fun, right? 

And our amenable neighbours had been curious who the people on the big boat blasting ‘Crazy Frog’ three times in a row were anyway. 

I’ve always considered boat day to be the best day on holiday – seeing the shoreline from the sea, getting some proper breeze and jumping into crystal-clear, deep water is always the perfect way to spend several hours. 

But when you join a group boat trip, that inevitably means a lot of waiting around and limited space to kick back and relax. 

With our own boat, we could set the pace. Which meant snail’s pace. 

We spent six hours in that cute little bay, floating on inflatables, practising our diving and snorkeling over the marine forests. 

Then on the way back, our skipper took us into St Tropez’s marina, to ogle the enormous billionaire’s yachts and grab an ice cream from the famous Barbarac on the marina promenade. 

Watching my son take in the beauty of the famous seaside town as we cruised into the port on the bow of the boat was a perfect holiday moment. 

Then we were dropped back to our local port, in time for a fish and chip supper. 

Hiring your own boat isn’t cheap. 

The prices for our particular boat start at 913 euros (£776) for the day, including the skipper, plus you have to pay for fuel, which worked out around 300 euros (£255). 

But if you filled the boat, that would work out at around 100 euros (£85) per person for the whole day, and there are plenty of boats on the website that work out much cheaper.

And when we arrived back in the UK after our holiday, the one memory we’ve not stopped talking about was boat day. 

I’d swap out several pricey attractions on land for eight hours of bliss at sea, where I can pretend I’m VB on her summer break (minus the designer holiday wardrobe) .

TWO sisters were left stunned after they found a picture of themselves in an Airbnb they had never stayed at before.

When Aubrey Birrell and her sister Libby entered their Airbnb in San Diego, California, USA, they spotted a large photo canvas on the wall.

In a video that has now gone viral on social media, Aubrey points at the picture of their family holiday 10 years prior, showing a group of swimmers at the beach.

Stunned, she says: “That’s my dad” before then pointing out Libby and their brother Brady.

Shocked Aubrey, who posted via her TikTok account @aubsbirrell, said they found the discovery “crazy” and “unsettling”, especially because they had never stepped foot in the Airbnb before.

Her description of the video stated: “We can’t make this up….. this is the craziest thing.”

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The two sisters never learnt how the picture ended up there.

Social media users took to the comments to share their own similar experiences.

One said: “I flew to India, then travelled up the Himalayas to my old boarding school where is was teaching for the summer.

“On the first day I was looking at the school photos in the cafeteria and another lady was also looking at photos.

“We met in front of one and I said I’d gone to boarding school here 40 years ago and this was the first time I’d been back.

“She said she’d gone to boarding school here 40 years ago and was back on vacation.

“Turns out she was Cathy, my best friend in school!

“We lost touch after we left the school and hadn’t spoken since.”

Another added: “This literally happened at our rented beach house TODAY.

“I had seen this TikTok days ago and something made me look at the giant canvas hanging in the primary bath[room].

“I immediately see my daughter and her high school friend group in the pic – one of whom is with us on this trip!

“We live two hours away and have been coming to this beach for decades. CRAZY.”

ONE of Europe’s most popular destinations is set to hike its tourist entry fee in the fight against swarms of seasonal visitors.

The mayor of Italian jewel Venice is pushing to raise the city’s controversial entry fee to as much as €50 (£43).

The proposal has already triggered fierce backlash, with critics branding it “barbarous” and unconstitutional.

Simone Venturini told The Times that increasing the charge is essential if Venice is to manage the growing pressure of overtourism.

He said: “The higher the ticket price, the better for us.”

Venice introduced its controversial pay-to-enter scheme in 2024, charging visitors on peak days up to €10 to access the historic city.

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Under the current system, day-trippers who book less than four days before their visit pay €10, while those who reserve more than four days in advance pay €5.

Visitors entering before 8.30am or after 4pm are exempt, as are residents, people born in Venice, students and workers.

Tourists staying overnight in hotels or rental accommodation also do not have to pay.

Tickets are purchased online and checked at key entry points, including the railway station.

Those caught without one can face fines of up to €300.

The city is also expanding the scheme, increasing the number of chargeable days from 54 to 60 this year.

Opponents argue the scheme has done little to reduce visitor numbers.

Official figures show average daily visitor numbers fell only slightly during the summer, from 16,676 in 2024 to 13,046 in 2025.

Venturini insists the goal is not to put a cap on tourism altogether.

He said: “We need to keep an eye on the total number of visitors to Venice, but we do not want to put a maximum limit on tourists, so instead we can aim to get them to spread out and avoid coming on those days when we face the prospect of 80,000 visitors.

“That means getting the Italian parliament to approve higher prices, let’s say €30 or €50.

“That will cover the cost of services for tourists, including removing the growing amount of rubbish, but we could also offer ticket holders discounts for museums.”

The idea of charging visitors even more has provoked strong opposition.

Critics argue that if Venice is serious about reducing overcrowding, it should instead focus on limiting the number of properties being rented out through Airbnb.

Former mayor Massimo Cacciari said: “There is no other Italian or European city that you have to buy a ticket to enter, as if it were a museum.

“This is barbarous, uncivil and in my opinion anti-constitutional.”

Constitutional expert Ludovico Mazzarolli also told Corriere della Sera that a €50 entry fee could conflict with the Italian Constitution’s principle of free movement within the country.

Venice is not the only city trying to manage surging visitor numbers.

In Rome, authorities have introduced a €2 charge to access the lower area around the famous Trevi Fountain.

Meanwhile, the island of Capri continues to grapple with huge summer crowds, welcoming as many as 50,000 visitors a day during July and August.

To keep its narrow streets moving, visitors are encouraged to keep right when walking uphill and left when heading down.

Tour groups are now capped at 40 people, while guides leading more than 20 tourists must use wireless earpieces instead of loudspeakers.

Los Angeles City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto lagged behind her two well-funded challengers based on early returns Tuesday night. But her incumbent colleague, City Controller Kenneth Mejia, appeared to be faring better in his bid to stay in office, holding a double-digit lead over finance executive Zach Sokoloff.

Progressive Marissa Roy led the field vying to serve as Los Angeles’ top lawyer in the first batch of returns surfacing around 8:20 p.m.

L.A. County Deputy Dist. Atty. John McKinney sat in second, while Feldstein Soto was positioned third. The top two finishers will advance to November’s general election. It could be days before the outcome of the race is clear. Mail-in ballots with a Tuesday postmark will be accepted by county election officials for another week.

With only two candidates running, the controller’s race will be decided this month and will not go to a runoff in November.

The city attorney’s race transformed suddenly this spring after the Los Angeles Police Department’s largest union broke with Feldstein Soto and backed McKinney. Independent expenditure campaigns have thrown $3 million behind McKinney in recent weeks, with much of that money coming from a political action committee controlled by Airbnb.

Feldstein Soto sued the rental giant for violating price gouging laws in the wake of the Palisades fire last year and has openly questioned whether McKinney would shy from aggressive litigation against Airbnb if elected.

“Special interests have gotten really accustomed to special treatment at City Hall. They get special treatment all the time,” Feldstein Soto said in a recent interview, suggesting that both McKinney and Roy had been compromised by outside spending. Independent expenditure campaigns supporting Roy also received roughly $725,000.

McKinney told The Times that if elected, he would “absolutely” sue Airbnb if necessary.

A representative for Feldstein Soto’s campaign declined to comment on the early returns late Tuesday night.

The three leading candidates often sounded like they were campaigning for different jobs.

Roy said she would run the city attorney’s office as L.A.’s “largest public interest law firm,” focusing on tenants’ rights, wage theft and other issues affecting working-class Angelenos. A deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice, she also vowed to sue the Trump administration, linking arms with the attorney general’s office and other city attorneys in aggressive litigation to curb what many Californians see as targeted abuses of power.

McKinney talked more like he was running for city prosecutor, leaning heavily on his experience winning high-profile felony trials in the downtown courthouse. He said he would improve the way the city attorney prosecutes gun crimes and animal abusers. Despite his lack of experience as a civil litigator, McKinney also said he could bring down the city’s litigation costs, which exploded under Feldstein Soto.

“While all votes have not yet been fully counted, we feel optimistic about qualifying for the General Election in November. People want political courage. They want leadership,” McKinney said in a statement Tuesday night. “What is already clear, is that this election has been shaped by the pressing and undeniable concerns of the people of Los Angeles.”

McKinney previously ran for L.A. County district attorney in 2024 but disappeared in a crowded primary field.

While her term has been marked by financial strain, allegations of misconduct and mistreatment of employees and recent questions about her handling of a data breach that led to the leak of a trove of LAPD records, Feldstein Soto maintained that her opponents are far too inexperienced to serve as the city’s top lawyer.

She said she improved public safety by repairing her office’s relationship with the LAPD and filed more misdemeanors than her predecessor. Although legal costs surged, Feldstein Soto said she did her best to mitigate damage on a number of difficult cases she inherited when taking office in 2022. The rise of so-called “nuclear verdicts” in civil claims reflects a nationwide trend rather than a fault of her leadership, she said.

Feldstein Soto was endorsed by Mayor Karen Bass and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Roy had the support of the L.A. County Democratic Party, the city chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). In addition to the police union, McKinney was backed by his boss, L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman.

The city controller’s race, normally a fairly sleepy affair, has turned into the second-highest-spending race in the city.

Mejia, 35, known for his two corgis that he often features on billboards across Los Angeles, sought to retain his seat as the city’s accountant and auditor.

His only challenger was Sokoloff, a senior vice president for asset management at Hackman Capital Partners. Sokoloff, 37, alleged Mejia did not properly utilize the controller’s office to run audits on city departments and failed to keep up the auditing pace of his predecessor.

Sokoloff’s mother, Sheryl, has spent $7.5 million on independent expenditures in the race, mostly on attack ads and mailers against Mejia. Often, the ads point to allegations that Mejia in 2023 fostered a toxic workplace and made inappropriate sexual remarks to female subordinates.

A woman who identified herself as Sheryl Sokoloff hung up on a Times reporter last week when asked about the race expenditures.

Mejia said Sokoloff’s mother — married to Jonathan Sokoloff, managing partner of private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners — was trying to bankroll the seat for her son.

Mejia has long run on accountability and transparency for the city’s budget and made public-facing databases across dozens of topics on the controller’s website in his first term.

A licensed certified public accountant, Mejia is a member of the Green Party and does not accept endorsements from political parties or politicians. He was endorsed by the Los Angeles Daily News and multiple labor unions, including the United Teachers of Los Angeles and United Auto Workers.

Sokoloff, a Democrat, was endorsed by multiple former controllers, notable Democrats — including Schiff — and the L.A. County Democratic Party, along with other business advocacy groups.

The Spanish destination has banned all new holiday rental properties — including houses and villas — as local authorities move to protect struggling residents from being pushed out of their own neighbourhoods

A beloved holiday destination popular with British tourists is cracking down on new holiday rental properties, after they were found to be forcing local residents out of their own communities.

Local politicians in Palma de Majorca are poised to bring in the measure to boost housing availability for hard-pressed residents. New licensed apartment holiday lets have already been prohibited there for several years, and now local politicians are moving forward with a ban on houses and villas.

Local councillor Óscar Fidalgo insisted the move was one that simply had to be made. He described it as proportionate and fair, adding that it should have been implemented sooner in order to protect those living on the island from spiking property prices.

He was openly critical of holiday rentals growing ‘like never before’, and warned that they were causing integration issues between tourists and locals.

According to Majorca Daily Bulletin, Fidalgo said: “The expansion of tourist accommodation reduces the available residential supply and makes it harder to access housing. The current model presents problems of legal certainty and complicates inspections, which allows for fraud. More inspection capacity is needed.

“There are also urban sustainability reasons. It affects neighbourhood coexistence. We must protect neighbourhoods and prevent the displacement of residents.”

A town hall technical report concluded that the Spanish holiday hotspot is unsuitable for the opening of new holiday rental properties.

In April this year, more than 8,000 illegal Airbnb listings in Majorca were removed from the website, totaling a withdrawal of more than 40,000 illegal tourist beds.

The move was part of a coordinated effort between Airbnb and the Spanish authorities to reduce the number of active rental properties.

The fines for running an unlicensed holiday let in Palma de Majorca are steep. Landlords face fines of up to €40,000 (£34,700) and the government has employed a group of inspectors to ensure compliance. There is also an online reporting system for the public to report suspected rule-breakers to the authorities.

Nearly a third of tourists visiting Spain opt to stay in short-term rentals. The number of homes listed for holiday rentals in May dropped 6% from the previous summer to 1.43 million, after regulations were tightened to ease the housing crisis, data from the National Statistics Institute showed.

According to campaign group Affordable Majorca, since 2013, rents in Palma have increased by a whopping 40%.

Approximately 2.3 to 3.6 million British tourists visit Mallorca each year. The UK consistently ranks as the second-largest source of international visitors to the island, making up about 20% to 26% of all tourist traffic, trailing just behind Germany, according to Road Genius.

The decision in Palma de Majorca comes as another holiday island has also cracked down on beach regulations, banning nearly 700 loungers. Authorities imposed the ban on Formentera in the Balearics, effective immediately until 2029. A further 339 parasols have also been ordered to be removed from beaches.

Airbnb unveiled a new set of services for guests on Wednesday, adding car rentals, airport pickup and grocery delivery to its online marketplace that connects travelers with local hosts.

Customers can now get groceries delivered to their Airbnb through a partnership with Instacart and have a driver meet them at the airport with Airbnb’s Welcome Pickups. The app is also offering luggage storage in partnership with Bounce and will add in-app car rentals later this summer.

At the same time, Airbnb is ramping up its use of AI by adding AI-powered review summaries and lodging comparisons, the company said.

The company has been expanding beyond lodging since last year, when it introduced Airbnb Experiences & Services, giving guests the option to book private tours and chef-cooked meals through the app.

In an earnings call earlier this month, the company’s chief executive, Brian Chesky, said the company is at “the very, very beginning of how AI is going to change how we all do our jobs.”

The changes are coming in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in 16 cities across the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The company said it is offering exclusive World Cup experiences, such as watch parties and access to stadiums.

“In terms of what we’ve seen in cumulative bookings heading into the event, the World Cup is slated to be the largest event in Airbnb’s history,” the company’s chief financial officer, Ellie Mertz, said on the earnings call.

Airbnb gained popularity for offering travelers unique and homey stays on other people’s property, but it added boutique hotel bookings to its platform late last year. The move had some customers questioning if the app was straying too far from its original purpose.

In its announcement this week, the company said it is partnering with more independent hotels in 20 top destinations, including New York, London and Singapore. On the earnings call, Chesky said hotels on Airbnb could become a multibillion-dollar revenue business.

The San Francisco-based company was founded in 2007 and gave homeowners the opportunity to earn money by renting out their space to travelers seeking something different from a hotel. Airbnb bookings can range from private bedrooms in a shared home to luxury mansions and yachts.

The company’s revenue grew 18% year over year to $2.7 billion in the first quarter, while net income increased slightly to $160 million. Airbnb’s new services and offerings could transform it from a home-sharing platform to a holistic travel marketplace, analysts said.

Shares of the company have increased by 14% over the last six months and fell by less than 1% on Thursday.