Barcelona Overtourism: Airbnb and Short-Term Rentals
Photo Credit: A photo on Airbnb's website promoting its Experiences in Barcelona. Airbnb
Skift Take
Tourist apartments are an integral part of Barcelona's tourism industry today so it is time both parties step beyond the limitations of permits and legal claims to seek a holistic approach that protects residents' quality of life while also housing visitors.
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Barcelona’s city government has opened nearly 6,000 disciplinary cases against illegal tourist apartments in the past 16 months — signs of a continuing conflict that pits the city’s booming tourism industry against local regulators and many residents.
Of these cases, approximately one-third of apartments have been found to operate without a license and only 628 have responded to government demands, according to data released in early July.
Tourist apartments have become one of the most popular lodging options for visitors in Barcelona, but the city's early attempts at regulation did not meet the challenge given how ubiquitous rentals became and their residual impact on city life.
Tourist apartments in Barcelona operate on a license system. Under the leadership of Marian Muro, former director general of Cataluña Tourism
