The Spanish government has requested that nearly 66.000 apartments be removed from the rental platform. Airbnb because they violate regulations on tourist accommodation.
The government order followed renewed protests over excessive tourism ahead of the summer season.
Na demonstrations in the Canary Islands There were thousands of people last weekend.
These properties advertised for rent "violate various tourism regulations," said Minister of Social Rights and Consumer Protection Pablo Bustindui.
This announcement followed a decision by a court in Madrid to Airbnb must immediately withdraw from the market 4.984 properties flagged by the ministry.
The indicated properties are in six regions: Madrid, Andalusia, Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country and the Balearic Islands.
Bustindu's ministry is now awaiting further court decisions on the remaining 60.000 properties whose operations it considers illegal.
Among the properties that the Spanish government considers to be in breach of regulations are those for which the legal status of the owners is not clearly stated to determine whether they were renting on a professional basis or as private individuals.
The minister described the Madrid court's decision as a victory for those fighting to protect the right to housing.
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Housing has emerged as the biggest concern for Spaniards in recent months, due to rising rental costs, especially in larger cities.
The cost of average rent has doubled in the last decade, while wages are lagging behind.
Many people point to apartments for rent to tourists as the main cause of the problem, because threatens the accommodation of local residents.
Spain is the second most popular tourist destination in the world after France, with 94 million foreign visitors in 2024, a 13 percent increase over 2023.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said there were "too many apartments on Airbnb and not enough homes."
He promised to prevent the "uncontrolled" spread of using properties for tourist rentals.
And some local authorities have begun taking steps against Airbnb.
Barcelona City Council announced that it will abolish 10.000 apartments per day by the end of 2028.
Others have taken a different approach.
In recent months, Airbnb has reached agreements with local authorities in the Canary Islands, Ibiza and Murcia to ensure that property owners comply with tourist rental rules.
Airbnb responded to the court decision and Bustindu's announcement by insisting that it would appeal the decisions and that no evidence had been provided that the owners were violating regulations.
She also cited a 2022 decision by the Spanish Supreme Court that found that the property owner is responsible for listing the information, not the company, which is a "neutral intermediary" and not a real estate publisher.
The company also published its own position on housing problems in Spain.
"The root cause of the crisis is the lack of supply of affordable housing to meet demand," said an Airbnb spokesperson.
He added that Airbnb is what allows property owners to earn money and thus cover other, growing costs.
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A wave of protests against overtourism took place in many popular tourist destinations in Spain last summer.
Some say that excessive tourism is the reason why apartment prices, rents, and other fees are rising.
With the number of foreign visitors to Spain rapidly approaching 100 million a year, the unrest is expected to continue this summer.
Several thousand people took to the streets across the Canary Islands on May 18 under the slogan "We have a limit (of patience) in the Canaries too."
In Majorca, a group Less Tourism, Month of Life (Less Tourism, More Life) is preparing for similar actions, with a protest scheduled for June 15th.
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