You might not be able to book an Airbnb in Spain this summer
The European country is cracking down on the rental site
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TRAVEL Airbnb
If you were planning on sipping Sangria on a balcony in Spain this summer, it may not be at that dream house you saw online. Recently, the country is cracking down on the overwhelming tourist population and all fingers are pointing at the online housing site Airbnb.
New regulations were enacted by Madrid's municipal government regarding short-term lettings. In the hopes of maintaining "the residential use of buildings,” the city will not allow individual apartments to rent to visitors, rather the whole building needs to agree to a license, like a hotel. This legislation will impact roughly 95% of the city’s current vacation rentals, according to Quartzy. Valencia and Palma de Mallorca, two other tourist hot spots, are making similar legislative moves as well.
A representative for Airbnb explained that the company was working with the cities to try to “differentiate between professionals and regular families” on the hosting platform. He explained that the service “is part of the solution to local housing concerns in cities, and is helping put tourism euros in the pockets of local families—not just wealthy hotel groups.”
As the local Spanish population continues to fight back against the influx of tourists, remember to tread lightly when snapping photos at the Palacio Real.