Spain in the European Union has moved to clampdown on Airbnb in a massive crackdown.
New rules over staying in Spain on holiday are ‘clear message’ to UK tourists
A government minister has been warned new rules over staying in Spain on holiday will send a clear message to UK tourists. Spain in the European Union has moved to clampdown on Airbnb in a massive crackdown.
Madrid took firm action by ordering Airbnb to delete nearly 66,000 listings from its site amid a growing fury and backlash over so-called overtourism.
Consumer rights minister Pablo Bustinduy told The Associated Press: “Obviously there is a correlation between these two facts. It’s not a linear relation, it’s not the only factor affecting it, there are many others, but it is obviously one of the elements that is contributing.”
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Mr Bustinduy added: “Tourism is for sure a vital part of the Spanish economy. It’s a strategic and very important sector. But as in every other economic activity, it must be conducted in a sustainable way. It cannot jeopardise the constitutional rights of the Spanish people. Their right to housing, but also their right to wellbeing.”
“There is a battle going on about accountability and about responsibility,” Mr Bustinduy said. “The digital nature of these extraordinarily powerful multi-national corporations must not be an excuse to fail to comply with democratically established regulations.”
“The principle behind these actions is always the same: preserving consumer rights,” Mr Bustinduy said. “Powerful corporations, no matter how large, have to adapt their business models to existing regulations.”
“It will encourage longer stays, it will encourage responsible tourism and it will preserve everything that we have in this wonderful country which is the reason why so many people want to come here,” he said.
Spain is one of the world’s most visited countries. Last year, the Southern European nation of 49 million received a record 94 million international visitors.
Tourism has surged to unprecedented levels in recent years. The Spanish government says the two are related: the rise of Airbnb and other short-term rental companies, and rising rents and housing costs.