MADRID – The Spanish government has imposed a hefty fine of 64 million euros (approximately $75 million) on Airbnb for promoting tourist accommodations that lack proper licensing, officials announced on Monday.
According to the consumer rights ministry, many of these listings either omitted the necessary license numbers — a legal requirement in various Spanish regions — or featured license numbers that did not correspond with official records. Additionally, some listings provided inaccurate information about the hosts.
This action represents the latest in a series of governmental measures targeting short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. Spain is currently wrestling with a housing affordability crisis, particularly acute in urban centers and other areas favored by both locals and tourists.
In response, Airbnb has declared its intention to contest the fine in court. The company stated that it is actively working with Spanish authorities to comply with a newly introduced national registration system for short-term rentals. Since January, over 70,000 listings on Airbnb have reportedly added a registration number.
Spain’s leftist government, along with citizens from various political backgrounds, often attributes the rise in housing costs to the influence of short-term rental companies.
Back in May, the consumer rights ministry directed Airbnb to remove approximately 65,000 listings due to similar regulatory breaches.
“There are thousands of families living on the edge because of the housing crisis, while a few enrich themselves with business models that evict people from their homes,” Spain’s consumer rights minister, Pablo Bustinduy, said in a statement.
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