Barcelona is set to ban apartment rentals to tourists to improve housing availability for local residents. The city council plans to eliminate approximately 10,000 tourist flat licenses over the next five years.
This initiative aims to tackle the severe national housing crisis, particularly pressing in tourist-heavy cities like Barcelona.
According to Mayor Jaume Collboni, “We want to guarantee the right to live in Barcelona and effectively address the housing crisis we have faced for years.” Deputy Mayor Laia Bonet added that the five-year period before licenses expire serves as a form of compensation for landlords.
Javier Delgado, CEO of Mirai, believes that a total ban on short-term rentals (STRs) is not reasonable, as there is a substantial market that needs and expects this kind of lodging. He suggests clear regulation ensuring safety, security, and sustainability.
Vanessa de Souza Lage, from Sustonica, argues that STRs are essential for dispersing tourism throughout the city and contribute to more sustainable tourism. She believes that banning STRs will have significant long-term negative consequences.
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Carlos Cendra, from Mabrian, notes that gaining reliable data on short-term rentals is challenging due to the fragmented nature of supply and illegal rentals. However, he reports that in March, there were around 15,600 properties with 54,000 rooms listed on Airbnb alone, exceeding the number of officially registered properties in the city.
