We find ourselves decades after the term for gentrification was first established, looking for both its roots, as well as the ways it evolved and adapted to modern conditions. A historical retrospect of its main manifestations and theories is carried out, which are later applied to contemporary data. The contribution and the wideexpansionof touristic activity throughout the world, is considered an important  factor in the processes of gentrifying an urban landscape.

In many of the places where tourism is developing, it is a central element in their growth and development. Nevertheless, its extensive and long-term existence in them, has often led to their touristification and hotelization. Short-term rental platforms, the most dominant of them being Airbnb, have played an important role in this and they have also changed the way we move and travel. Their selection and use has found breeding ground, due to the emergence of the new urban tourist and digital nomads.

Through a critical study and search ofexamples in global metropolises, as well as in Greece, it is possible to conduct a personal assessment and also to develop critical thinking, regarding the way that the analyzed theories are applied to the case studies. Moreover, we look further into the way that short-term rentals impacted the selected neighborhoods, in terms of the quality of the old residents’ everyday life, their economic changes and the transformation of their character and their authenticity. Through those studies, it is possible to observe the urban environment and envision the quality and form of the urban space we wantto inhabit in the future.

The aim of this research thesis is not to prove whether Airbnb is a threat or a new opportunity for urban spaces, but food for thought in relation to the proper integration of this technology into urban landscapes.