I congratulate Europeans who are waging a geurilla war against the nanny state. It is THEIR house, THEIR property, and THEIR privilege to do as they wish with it. And if they make a buck, so much the better. Of course that pisses off the nanny state as well.

The "permission" requirement was instituted, as always, by the existing hotels, motels, and hostelries to protect their monopoly status. In Vietnam, which has the best local police that money can buy, I have been required to leave a room in a home offered to me as I passed by on my bicycle, only to be escorted to a hotel and "encouraged" to check in by thugs in front. I'm sure they all shared the spoils.

We are starting to see the same thing in the USA as bed and breakfasts have become more and more widespread.

Welcoming guests into your home is a tradition that goes back centuries and often is how Authors, Musicians, Artists and such are able to bump elbows with their most devoted and loyal readers or players. I might add, at the same time, that "emptying out and hitting the hills" for tourist season is a long and amusing tradition as well.