NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI) — About 30 million tourists come from all over the world to stay in the Ocean State each year, and many people choose to stay in short-term rentals.
Short-term rental advocates estimate those visitors spend about $23 million on food and drinks in local restaurants alone, bringing dollars that flow throughout the Rhode Island economy.
Critics, however, argue the bourgeoning hospitality sector is putting pressure on housing availability amid a crisis that’s demanding an ever-expanding toll of taxpayer dollars.
The debate over the short-term rental market is especially heated in Newport, where Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong said 3.5 million visitors come through his community of 25,000 people each year.
“Newport is taking a careful look at how we strike the right balance of maintaining this place as a home for the people that make it such a sincere and genuine location that people love coming to visit,” Khamsyvoravong said. “But also ensuring that it has that balance, that it needs to continue being a functional community.”