Airbnb urges Barcelona to 'reconsider' restrictions on tourist apartments

Airbnb has asked the Barcelona city council to "reconsider" restrictions on tourist apartments.  

The holiday rental giant made this request in a letter addressed to mayor Jaume Collboni, coinciding with the ten-year anniversary of the moratorium on licenses for this type of accommodation.

Airbnb also warned that the measures adopted over the last decade "have proven ineffective" and criticized the hotel industry, which it accuses of driving prices to record levels. 

The online platform calls for "real solutions to the housing and mass tourism problem" and reiterates that the restrictions "have not worked."

The letter comes after the city council’s announcement to eliminate tourist apartments by 2028.  

The plan involves not renewing accommodation licenses for more than 10,000 tourist apartments in the city, with the goal of converting them into residential properties. 

As the mayor announced in June, one of the city council's main priorities is to address the city's housing shortage. House prices have increased by 68%, while salaries have risen by only 38%. 

However, Airbnb criticizes that while the city council claims to be fighting mass tourism, it also says there is potential for 5,000 new hotel rooms.

The platform also emphasizes that it has worked "diligently" to comply with regulations, noting that it has removed over 7,000 listings since 2018.