How Scotland’s war on Airbnb is threatening tourism firms

Pressure on housing led to a crackdown on short-term lets – but now many B&B and self-catering owners are giving up in the face of red tape, says Gethin Chamberlain

Scotland’s capital has always had a difficult relationship with the tourists who flock to it (Getty)

What is the worst thing about tourists during the summer holidays in Edinburgh?” The clickbait question posed by the Edinburgh Evening News drew predictable grumbles. They block the pavements. They stop to take pictures. They crowd the cafes. They ask where the castle is, or what time the one o’clock gun goes off.

Scotland’s capital has always had a difficult relationship with the tourists that flock to it, with well-heeled nimbys who tut and shake their heads at crowds – often while enjoying the restaurants, bars and cultural life that visitors sustain.

But there has been a new grumble of late: that tourists are occupying city-centre accommodation that could otherwise provide homes for locals. It’s an argument heard in many places around the world as global tourism becomes more accessible and pressure grows on housing.