Barcelona ‘to scrap holiday rentals’ by 2028

John E. Kaye
- Published
- Home, News, Travel and Lifestyle

More than 10,000 holiday apartments in the Spanish city of Barcelona will not be available to tourists within five years as part of a controversial move aimed at clamping down on soaring housing costs
Mayor Jaume Collboni has reportedly pledged to eliminate short-term tourist lets and make them available to locals instead.
Mr Collboni told a news conference that he does not plan to renew any of the 10,101 tourist licences granted to landlords when they expire in late 2028.
He said scrapping holiday apartments – which are typically advertised on platforms like Airbnb and Homeaway – would be “equivalent to building 10,000 new homes”.
“More supply of housing is needed, and the measures we’re presenting today are to provide more supply,” Mr Collboni added.
Barcelona has struggled with a limited supply of housing for years.
Rents have reportedly risen by 70% over the past decade, while new building has not kept up with the increased demand.
High rates of tourism, in addition to the city’s growing status as a tech hub attracting foreign workers, are said to be to blame.
In recent months, thousands of people have protested in parts of Spain, including the Canary Islands, against the effects of mass tourism, which they claim is damaging the environment and driving locals out.
But local politicians opposing the move have accused Mr Collboni of undermining property rights.
The Association of Tourist Apartments of Barcelona said the change would also lead to flats being illegally rented to tourists and claimed the policy was a “smokescreen” for the mayor’s failure on housing policy.

Images © Aleksandar Pasaric and Olena Goldman (Pexels)
RECENT ARTICLES
-
New IBM–NASA AI aims to forecast solar flares before they knock out satellites or endanger astronauts
-
Uber plots Channel Tunnel disruption with app-bookable high-speed trains
-
Global tech leaders back Nigeria’s $1 trillion digital ambition at GITEX Nigeria 2025
-
Scientists are racing to protect sea coral with robots and AI as heatwaves devastate reefs
-
Game, set...wax. Billie Jean King statue unveiled in New York
-
Vegas on a losing streak as visitors drop 11%
-
The European launches new Digital Content Exchange Network
-
Munich unveils new hydrogen lab as Europe steps up green energy race
-
Dubai Humanitarian launches film highlighting $48m global aid effort
-
Inside MINISO’s new giant Amsterdam store aimed at Europe’s Gen Z shoppers
-
Global demand drives record enrolment at Mohamed bin Zayed AI University
-
Tech boss’ dream private island on sale for £3m complete with fortress, helipad and...nightclub
-
The European in the Amazon as COP30 drives global climate decisions
-
The European takes its place at the table as G20 heads to Johannesburg
-
Specsavers to invest £5M in UK facility expansion to boost lens production
-
Abu Dhabi asserts leadership in regional property market as IREIS 2025 prepares to welcome 2,000 investors
-
Hulk Hogan: the world’s first athlete to become a global franchise
-
Pop star: Mumm sends champagne to space
-
Europeans are warming to EVs – and to Chinese brands
-
Sagrada Familia tops global rankings as Tripadvisor reveals world’s best travel experiences for 2025
-
Up, up and bouquet! Giant flower balloon lifts Medellin’s festival spirit
-
Europe and UK lag behind in global giving as low-income nations lead
-
Chinese carmaker GAC to launch electric cars in Britain
-
British firm Skyral to help Mongolia tackle pollution with AI traffic modelling
-
Seaweed and wind turbines: the unlikely climate double act making waves in the North Sea