Spain Orders Airbnb to Remove 65,000 Listings Amid Housing Crisis

The Spanish government has ordered Airbnb to remove 65,956 listings that do not comply with current short-term rental regulations. According to Reuters, the move is part of a broader campaign to combat the housing crisis and mitigate the impact of mass tourism, which has intensified since the pandemic.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs focused on listings that lacked a mandatory registration number, which has been required since 2015 for legal tourist rentals in Spain. As Spanish Property Insight notes, this ID system was introduced to fight illegal rentals and tax evasion.

With the rise of platforms like Airbnb, however, unregistered listings have surged—especially in tourist-heavy areas where property owners have increasingly bypassed regulations. This trend is widely seen as one of the drivers of rising housing prices.

Municipal authorities in Barcelona, Madrid, and other tourism hotspots have long warned about local residents being pushed out of city centers. The situation is particularly severe in Barcelona, where officials plan to ban all short-term rentals in apartment buildings by 2028 to free up housing for long-term tenants.

Airbnb has pushed back, claiming the removal demand is based on a flawed methodology that includes listings exempt from ID rules—such as private rooms in occupied homes. Despite objections, the Madrid High Court has already ordered the immediate takedown of 5,800 listings, according to BBC, siding with the ministry's housing market protection efforts.

The Spanish government is also planning to introduce a 21% VAT on short-term rentals, double the 10% tax rate for hotels, to level the playing field. The new tax would apply to stays under 30 days and could affect millions of travelers—Spain welcomes over 94 million tourists annually.

Consumer Affairs Minister Pablo Bustinduy stated, “We must stop protecting those who profit off a basic right like housing.” His stance has resonated with protesters across Barcelona, the Balearic and Canary Islands, who have demanded restrictions on mass tourism and real estate speculation.

According to Euronews, this social discontent has forced a reevaluation of Spain’s tourism policy. Critics say digital rental platforms are turning cities into “amusement parks” where locals can no longer afford to live and raise families.

Tourism economics professor José García-Calvo from the University of the Balearic Islands warned that Spain is nearing a crossroads: it must soon choose between continued tourism revenue and long-term social stability. He added that similar policies may soon be adopted by other nations facing overheated rental markets.