Ban On Rentals For Tourists, Barcelona Will Revoke 10,101 Apartment Permits

Illustration of tourists in Barcelona. (Wikimedia Commons/Enfo)

JAKARTA - Barcelona authorities, one of Spain's main holiday destinations, announced plans to ban apartment rentals for tourists from 2028, a move to control the surge in housing costs and make the city habitable for its residents.

Mayor of Jaume Colloboni said Barcelona would revoke permits for around 10,101 apartments that were approved for short-term rentals in November 2028.

"We are facing what we believe is Barcelona's biggest problem," Collboni told a city government event.

The short-term rental boom in Barcelona, the city most visited by foreign tourists in Spain, means some residents are unable to afford apartments, after leases rose 68 percent in the last 10 years and cost of buying houses rose 38 percent, Collboni said.

"Access to housing has been a driving force for gaps, especially for young people," he added.

The national government is enjoying the economic benefits of tourism, Spain is ranked the third most visited country in the world, but locals are unable to pay in some places, while owners' gentrification and preferences for profitable tourist rentals are increasingly becoming a hot topic across Europe.

Local governments have announced restrictions on short-term rentals in places such as the Spanish Canary Islands, Lisbon and Berlin in the last decade.

Separately, Spanish Socialist housing minister totals Rodriguez saying she supports Barcelona's decision.

"It's about making all the necessary efforts to ensure access to affordable housing," he tweeted on social media X.

The Airbnb holiday rental platform, which houses a large number of advertisements in Barcelona, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Collboni made a mistake that would lead to poverty and unemployment (higher)," the Barcelona APARTUR tourist apartment association said in a statement, adding the ban would trigger an increase in illegal tourist apartments.

However, hotels will benefit from the move. The opening of new hotels in the city's most popular areas is prohibited by left-wing parties governing Barcelona between 2015 and 2023. However, Collboni has hinted he can relax the restrictions.

Meanwhile, the Barcelona hotel association declined to comment on Friday's announcement last week.

"The 10,000 apartments will be used by city residents or will be marketed for rent or sold," Colomboni said of the action.

Pemerintah daerah Barcelona mengatakan dalam sebuah pernyataan, mereka akan mempertahankan aturan penyelidikan "yang kuat" untuk mendeteksi potensi apartemen turis ilegal setelah larangan tersebut mulai berlaku.

No new tourist apartments have been allowed in the city in recent years. Local governments have ordered the closure of 9,700 illegal tourist apartments since 2016 and nearly 3,500 apartments have been taken over for use as the main housing for local residents, he said.