A Country Pulls the Emergency Brake in the Fight for Housing.
It is as if Spain has pulled the plug – and for tens of thousands at once. More than 65,000 vacation rentals are set to disappear from the Airbnb platform by government order. A radical measure that not only affects tourism but also reveals the deep conflict that has shaken the country in recent years: the fight for affordable housing.
A Country in a State of Rental Crisis
Spain, Europe’s holiday paradise, has in recent years become the battleground for a new kind of crisis. Where once there were sunshine, beaches, and Mediterranean joy, the scene is now dominated by soaring rental prices and protests. In Madrid, Barcelona, and other popular tourist destinations, the streets are full – not of cheerful tourists, but of angry locals.
These are families being pushed out of their neighborhoods. Young people who can no longer find affordable housing. Seniors who watch as their neighborhoods turn into loud, temporary party zones. The culprit? For many, it is clear: Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms.
The Airbnb Revolution and Its Dark Side
For a long time, Airbnb was seen as a symbol of freedom and flexibility. A new model that allowed anyone to share their home with the world – or make a small fortune in the process. But what began as a charming idea has become a monster in Spain’s tourist hotspots.
In Barcelona, the bustling metropolis on the Mediterranean, it is no longer just the famous Ramblas that are overcrowded. Entire neighborhoods are now lined with vacation apartments. Locals become strangers in their own streets. The city administration pulled the emergency brake and announced last year that by 2028, all 10,000 licensed apartments used for short-term rentals would be closed. A radical plan that has sent a signal to the entire country.
Now, the national government is following suit. More than 65,000 vacation rentals are to disappear from Airbnb. The reason? Massive rule violations. No valid license number, no clear indication of whether the host is an individual or a company. In some cases, the license numbers provided did not even match the authorities' records. It is a wave of chaos that is now being cleaned up.
A Market Out of Control
Spain is not alone in its struggle against the negative consequences of platform tourism. But the scale with which Airbnb and other providers have transformed the country's rental markets is unprecedented. Where affordable housing for locals once stood, stylish lofts for weekend guests now dominate. In popular cities, rental prices are rising faster than wages can keep up.
The discontent has long spilled onto the streets. In recent months, tens of thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets, chanting against mass tourism and demanding affordable housing. Banners reading "Cities for people, not for profits" flutter in the breeze blowing through Barcelona's narrow alleys.
Airbnb Stays Silent – and Loses
From Airbnb itself, there was initially no response. A spokesperson was not available for comment. The silence of the platform is deafening. But it fits the image of an industry that long believed it stood above the law – until reality caught up with it.
A Battle for the Right to Housing
But what at first glance appears to be a simple conflict between a global corporation and a national government is, in truth, much more. It is a symbolic struggle over the future of cities. Do they belong to the people who live there? Or to the investors looking for quick profits?
Spain has made its choice. The country is standing up against the unbridled expansion of short-term rentals and drawing a red line. Whether the measure will succeed remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the days when platforms like Airbnb could transform cities unchecked are over.
Because in the end, it is not just a question of rules. It is a question of justice – and dignity. Spain has chosen to fight for its citizens. And the world is watching.
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