Fairbnb: For an ethical holiday rental

This article was written and published in Spanish and has been translated into English via Google Translate. Click here to read the original article.

The traveling craving sticks millions of pushpins in the same coordinates of identical maps, and thus the masses of visitors gradually dynamite the neighborhood life in the corners of the globe that become fashionable.

Used to get it all at the click of a click, we model the place chosen at our whim. We want the fastest route, the most comfortable seat, the plane menu without carbohydrates and, of course, a good, nice and cheap accommodation two steps from downtown.

Our dream destinations are also the homes of other people who eat, shop, work and sleep at night (or, at least, try). Tourists gentrify entire districts, plunder the most beautiful streets on our Instagram and colonize the homes of the historic center for our use and enjoy seven days and six nights, at most.

Before the touristization of Venice, New York, Barcelona and even the Alicante municipality of Calpe, the neighbors raise their voices to reconquer the spaces of their daily lives. Their protest begins to be heard and to take shape: sustainable tourism is already here, and ethical holiday rentals are about to come true.

Fairbnb is a pioneer cooperative in ethical and sustainable holiday rentals. The project recovers the idea of ​​old-fashioned accommodation: adapt ourselves to the destination instead of manipulating it as it suits us. It is a commitment to fair rent, the care of neighborhoods and neighborhood coexistence.

The platform aims to offer a transparent and beneficial accommodation alternative for neighborhoods. That is why it does not charge commissions to its hosts members. No more bachelor parties during the week, no more crazy parties day yes day also at the door next to the house where a family claims their eight hours of rest.

Traveling being ethical and aware of the problems of the place is the only way to keep intact the neighborhoods we visit.

Guests who opt for this type of accommodation, in addition to contributing to responsible tourism and combating gentrification, will financially support the area where they stay: a part of the price (half of what Fairbnb takes) will reverse the area's social projects , as cultural centers and community gardens.

Another novelty that Fairbnb introduces is the creation of its own social network to promote communication between neighbors with the same interests and the same concerns. In the virtual neighborhood, debate, conversation and the exchange of ideas will be favored. The objective is to strengthen the social fabric of cities and cede power to their inhabitants.

One more way for the local people is the requirement of a real home-sharing, which the platform applies through the formula "‘ 1 user - 1 house ". This is how it discourages the harmful effects of holiday rentals on the real estate market, so that the proliferation of tourist flats does not result in the eviction of lifelong neighbors.

Fairbnb's business model is based on co-ownership, co-governance and clarity in its accounts. These values ​​have led the cooperative to avoid interested investment and venture capital to “give priority to transparency, the distribution of benefits to communities and decision-making in a democratic way,” as explained in the text that accompanies his crowdfunding campaign on Goteo.org.

The sense of justice that guides the sustainable rental cooperative will hopefully go into our customs when looking for lodging. Then the neighborhoods will not only be neighborhoods, but they will also be well-off socially thanks to tourist visits. I hope that ethics moves to the cities and stays to live there forever.

Fairbnb will start operating in five Spanish cities (Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia, Bilbao and Seville) next September, after raising 100,000 euros contributed by the founders and 7,738 euros donated in crowdfunding.

This article was written and published in Spanish and has been translated into English via Google Translate. Click here to read the original article.

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