Authorities in Spain have requested that Airbnb remove nearly 66,000 listings for short term rental from its platform, citing widespread violations of tourist accommodation laws and amid intensifying public pressure over the country’s housing crisis.
The directive, issued by the Ministry of Social Rights, comes as summer tourism ramps up and cities brace for another influx of international visitors. Spain welcomed a record 94 million foreign tourists in 2024, making it the second most visited country in the world.
At the same time, frustration among locals is boiling over. Protests have erupted in hotspots like the Canary Islands, La Rambla in Barcelona, and parts of Madrid, where residents are taking to the streets claiming mass tourism is driving up rents, crowding public spaces, and making city life unsustainable.
People gather during a demonstration calling for a change in the tourism model in the Canary Islands, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, May 18, 2025. Photo: Reuters/Borja Suarez
“This is a clear victory for the right to housing,” said Consumer Minister Pablo Bustinduy, stressing the government’s aim to curb “illegality” and restore access to affordable homes.
According to the ministry, the 65,935 listings span six key regions—including Madrid, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands—and were found to be either unlicensed, misregistered, or lacking verification of legal rental status.
The announcement follows a Madrid court ruling earlier this month, which ordered Airbnb to delist nearly 5,000 properties that failed to meet regulatory standards.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has vowed to rein in the “uncontrolled” expansion of short-term rentals, warning of the long-term effects on housing accessibility and community stability.
Airbnb, however, pushed back on the move and plans to appeal. Listing compliance, the company said, is the responsibility of individual hosts. The home sharing giant went on to add that restricting short-term rentals won’t fix Spain’s housing shortage.
