Barcelona bans tourist flat rentals to decrease housing expenses

Barcelona, a popular destination in Spain, has announced that starting in 2028, it will no longer allow tourists to rent apartments.

The decision is an unexpectedly strict measure aimed at managing the increasing housing expenses and improving the quality of life for the city's residents.

Barcelona's leftist mayor, Jaume Collboni, said on Friday that the city would take away the rights for the 10,101 flats that are currently allowed to be rented out for short periods by November 2028.

During a local gathering, Collinson stated that they believe they are addressing Barcelona's most pressing issue. If everything goes as planned, it will be impossible to lease the current tourist apartments in Barcelona starting in 2029.

In Barcelona, a popular tourist destination in Spain, there is a growing challenge for people who want to rent an apartment, as short-term rentals are rising.

Over the past decade, rental prices have increased by 68%, while the expense of purchasing a home has risen by 38%.

Collboni mentioned that finding housing has become increasingly unequal, particularly for young people.

Tourism contributes positively to Spain's economy as it is among the top three most frequented countries worldwide.

The increasing demand for holiday accommodations due to urbanisation, property owners' ambition, and expensive areas inaccessible to residents is a significant issue in Europe.

In the last ten years, cities like Barcelona, Lisbon, and Berlin have had limited short-term rentals.

Isabel Rodriguez, Spain's Socialist housing minister, agreed with Barcelona's choice.

In a statement, Barcelona's tourist flats group Apartur expressed that Collboni is making a mistake that will lead to higher poverty and unemployment. They also said that the ban would cause more illegal tourist apartments.

The move will be good for hotels. The hotel group in Barcelona chose not to say anything about Friday's news.

The local government of Barcelona said it would keep up its "strong" checking system to find any possible illegal tourist flats after the ban.

In the last few years, the city has kept any new guest flats from being built. Since 2016, the local government has shut down 9,700 illegal visitor flats.

It also said that close to 3,500 apartments had been recovered and will be used as primary homes for locals.

But more people still need to visit the city known for its beaches, museums, and beautiful buildings.

Several neighbourhood groups have called for a protest on July 6 with the cry "Enough!" Stop all the tourists!"

The protest comes after similar ones in the past few months in popular tourist spots in Spain, like the Canary Islands and Palma de Mallorca.