Mexico City government joins Airbnb to attract ‘digital nomads’, despite fears of rising rents According to Reuters

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – The mayor of Mexico City on Wednesday said she wants to increase the number of ‘digital nomads’ in the capital after signing a deal with short-term rental platform Airbnb, despite concerns over the This flow is driving people out of the rental market. .

Asked about complaints about the rent increase during a press conference, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum Sheinbaum said local authorities do not see a direct link between rents and Airbnb’s presence.

Sheinbaum said most digital nomads – people who work remotely online rather than in an office, often in another country – choose to stay in expensive neighborhoods where rents are already higher than in urban areas. other areas of the capital, such as Condesa, Roma and Polanco.

“We don’t want rents to skyrocket in the face of this situation,” she said, adding that her administration would continue to monitor the situation.

Airbnb could not be reached immediately for comment.

Data from market research firm AirDNA shows that the average daily price for short-term rental apartments across Mexico City increased 27% to $93 in August 2022 compared to the same month in 2019. .

Housing activists and some researchers say the wave of digital nomadism fuels inflation and turns neighborhoods into an expat bubble, in a city known for its segregation. markedly between the rich and the poor.

Airbnb is also opening platforms for Mexicans to create travel experiences around their daily activities, according to Sheinbaum.

The partnership between the Mexico City government and Airbnb is also supported by UNESCO, the United Nations cultural agency.