Airbnb has vowed to challenge the Spanish government’s demand that it pull 66,000 listings from its holiday booking platform.
The drastic measure was ordered by Spain’s Consumer Rights Ministry, which claimed a total of 65,935 listings ‘violated local regulations’.
READ MORE: Thousands of ‘anti-tourism’ protesters descend on Tenerife
The action underscores the government’s commitment to curbing the proliferation of unlicensed holiday rentals, which many blame for exacerbating housing shortages and inflating rental prices in urban centres.
The targeted listings allegedly lack proper licensing or fail to disclose essential ownership information, contravening regional laws that require transparency in short-term rental operations.
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Consumer Minister Pablo Bustinduy emphasised the importance of prioritising residents’ housing needs over commercial interests, stating that the government will not tolerate illegal activities that compromise housing accessibility.
A lack of affordable housing has sparked dozens of protests over the past couple of years. It was one of the main issues behind demonstrations in Tenerife and the Canary Islands over the weekend.
But Airbnb has contested the ministry’s directive, arguing that the enforcement measures are overly broad and indiscriminate.
The company claims that some of the flagged listings may not require licences under current regulations and vowed to appeal the decision.
It said: ‘Airbnb will continue to appeal all decisions affecting this case. These actions are at odds with Spanish and European regulations.
‘The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and the 2030 Agenda, which is not competent to enforce regulations regarding tourist accommodation, has provided a list of listings using an indiscriminate methodology that includes listings that display licenses and others that may not require them (such as seasonal rentals that are not tourist offerings).
‘It has also deliberately ignored rulings by the Spanish Supreme Court that have made it clear that not all Airbnb listings require a registration number.’
It comes amid a nationwide crackdown on Airbnb-style rentals, with major cities introducing tough restrictions.
Most notably, Barcelona’s mayor has announced plans to eliminate all tourist rental licenses by 2028, including retroactively.
