Spanish government blocks more than 65,000 holiday rental Airbnb listings

Amid a tense environment against short-term rentals, the Spanish government has ordered Airbnb to take down more than 65,000 holiday rentals, which they said violated Airbnb’s own rules and regulations.
According to a press release from the Spanish Consumer Rights Ministry, the listings set to be taken down do not include their license numbers, while others do not specify if the Airbnb’s owner is an individual or a company.
Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy said in the release that the goal of the action was to end the general "illegality" and "lack of control" in the short-term rental business in the country.
"No more excuses. Enough with protecting those who make a business out of the right to housing in our country," he told reporters, according to Reuters.
In a statement to Paste BN, an Airbnb spokesperson said that the company will appeal the Consumer Rights Ministry's decision as it believes that it does not have the authority to make a ruling over rentals like the ones listed on its site.
"The root cause of the affordable housing crisis in Spain is a lack of supply to meet demand," the company said. "The solution is to build more homes - anything else is a distraction."
Spanish officials crack down on short-term rentals
The announcement comes as Spanish authorities have begun a general crackdown on short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com.
According to Reuters, many locals have blamed the sites for creating an unsustainable rental environment, reducing housing supply and making rent unaffordable for locals. Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has taken the toughest steps so far in June 2024, when he ordered a total ban on tourism rentals by 2028.
Airbnb announces anti-party changes in the US
In the United States, Airbnb has announced changes ahead of major summer holidays. On May 19, the company announced an "anti-party" system ahead of Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.
Airbnb says 2025 is its fourth year rolling out the system as it looks to reduce disruptions to neighborhoods where Airbnbs are booked.
"Our anti-party technology is designed to help identify and prevent certain attempts to book one-to-two-night stays in entire home listings that could be higher risk for a disruptive party," the company said.
Contributing: Amarias Encinas, Paste BN; Reuters
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.