The Spanish government has recently taken a firm stance against Airbnb, signalling that the country’s economy and housing market are not a “free for all” where profit trumps regulation, a minister has said.
Last month, authorities ordered Airbnb to remove almost 66,000 holiday rentals from its platform, citing violations of local regulations. These violations included failing to list license numbers, listing incorrect numbers, or not specifying the apartment’s owner. Airbnb is currently appealing the decision.
Spain, a popular global tourist destination, hosted a record 94 million international visitors last year. However, cities like Madrid and Barcelona are grappling with housing affordability issues, leading to increased resentment towards short-term holiday rentals, with Airbnb being a primary target of criticism.
The Spanish government says the two are related: the rise of Airbnb and other short-term rental companies, and rising rents and housing costs.
“Obviously there is a correlation between these two facts,” Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy told the AP. “It’s not a linear relation, it’s not the only factor affecting it, there are many others, but it is obviously one of the elements that is contributing.”
A recent Bank of Spain report said the country has a shortfall of 450,000 homes. In the tourist hot spots of the Canary and Balearic Islands, half the housing stock is tourist accommodations or properties owned by nonresidents, the report said.
“Tourism is for sure a vital part of the Spanish economy. It’s a strategic and very important sector. But as in every other economic activity, it must be conducted in a sustainable way,” Bustinduy said. “It cannot jeopardize the constitutional rights of the Spanish people. Their right to housing, but also their right to well-being.”
The country has seen several large protests that have drawn tens of thousands of people to demand more government action on housing. Homemade signs including one that read “Get Airbnb out of our neighborhoods” at a recent march in Madrid point to the growing anger.
“A balance must be found between the…
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