Barcelona to Ban Short-Term Tourist Rentals by 2028 to Address Housing Shortages | WPN World People News

Barcelona, located in northeastern Spain, is one of the most visited cities in Europe, renowned for landmarks such as the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and the Picasso Museum. In 2023 alone, it attracted over 12 million tourists, solidifying its status as a global tourism hotspot. However, this influx has exacerbated local housing shortages, prompting municipal authorities to take drastic action.

Today, the Barcelona city government announced plans to completely ban short-term rentals for tourists by late 2028. This initiative aims to reclaim housing from the tourism sector for local residents. According to Jaume Collboni, the left-wing mayor, there are currently 11,101 apartments authorized for short-term rentals, and their permits will expire by November 2028 without renewal. He emphasized that these tourist apartments, as they are known today, "will disappear from Barcelona" starting in 2029.

Cities like Berlin, Paris, and Barcelona have all pointed to platforms offering shared housing for tourists as contributors to the difficulty locals face in finding long-term rentals, thereby driving up housing prices. Collboni stated that Barcelona's short-term rental boom has contributed to a 68% increase in rents and a 38% rise in property purchase costs over the past decade.

The Spanish central government's Housing Minister, Isabel Rodriguez, fully supports Barcelona's policy, aimed at ensuring affordable housing for its citizens, particularly the youth.