Spain is the second most popular tourist destination in the world, after France. To mitigate a housing crisis exacerbated by surging tourism, the island nation is making some of the most progressive moves seen anywhere to curb short-term rentals. In 2024, Spain attracted around 94 million foreign tourists. That was a 13% year-on-year increase, and it pushed the annual total of foreign tourists to within striking distance of 100 million. In particular, this influx has prompted widespread concern over the effects of short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb on local housing markets.
Rising Rents and Local Protests
This boom in tourism has accompanied a deep affordable housing crisis plaguing Spain. Per a spokesperson, the cause of this crisis is “too much demand for not enough supply.” As rental prices have skyrocketed (with some regions averaging double rental prices of a decade ago), many Spaniards are unable to afford housing. Citizens have good reason to be intensely focused on the threat of over-tourism. In response, they have organized massive protests in preparation for the summertime.
For Pablo Bustinduy—the principal minister for the file in Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s center-left Socialist coalition—pressure is beginning to build. In response, he is doubling down and pushing for even tougher short-term rental regulations. His ministry is now awaiting judicial decisions on 60,000 properties that it has already declared to be illegal for tourist listings. These properties span six regions: Madrid, Andalusia, Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country, and the Balearic Islands.
Prime Minister Sánchez has voiced his concerns about the proliferation of Airbnb properties, stating that “there are too many Airbnbs and not enough homes.” He wants to put an end to diverted, uncontrolled expansion of tourism-based properties. He is calling for legislation to prioritize homes for local people over short-term rental income.
Barcelona’s Ambitious Plan
Barcelona City Hall has proved itself ready to make a radical change. By the end of 2028, they will get rid of 10,000 short-term tourist apartments. That’s exactly what this ambitious plan would do, proactively targeting the current housing market’s imbalance. At the same time, it addresses the increasing need for less-expensive, long-term rental options.
Airbnb has further begun seeking deals with local governments in areas like the Canary Islands, Ibiza and Murcia. These agreements are meant to hold property owners responsible for following the regulations that cities and municipalities have put in place for tourist rentals. An Airbnb spokesperson cautioned that “governments across the world are seeing that regulating Airbnb does not alleviate housing concerns or return homes to the market – it only hurts local families who rely on hosting to afford their homes and rising costs.”
Bustinduy remains steadfast in his commitment to housing rights, declaring this initiative “a clear victory for those who fight to protect the right to housing.” He further remarked that it is essential to ensure “that no economic interest has priority over housing and that no company, however big or powerful, is above the law.”
Author’s Opinion
Spain’s willingness to confront the effects of short-term rentals head-on sets a new benchmark for other tourist-heavy countries struggling with housing costs. But for these bold policies to succeed, local enforcement and careful follow-through will be just as important as national headlines.
Featured image credit: Millie Group
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.