On the 10-year anniversary of Barcelona’s clampdown on internet hosting1, Airbnb is looking on the town to rethink its strategy to short-term leases, as new evaluation reveals its insurance policies are failing to ease housing and overtourism challenges.
In 2014, the Metropolis of Barcelona launched a moratorium on vacationer lodging licenses, which severely restricted the power of on a regular basis residents to share their houses. Advocates mentioned a clampdown was vital to handle housing and overtourism challenges. A decade later, official knowledge reveals that whereas short-term leases numbers have fallen, challenges associated to housing and overtourism are worse than ever.
Document housing shortfall
Within the final decade, Spain has constructed fewer houses than at any level since 19702. Whereas ranges of building have remained stagnant, demand for brand new houses has elevated. In 2023, knowledge from the Ministry of Housing3 reveals that the creation of latest households in Spain outpaced the variety of new houses constructed by three to 1.
Document-high rents and home costs
Because the variety of listings on Airbnb has fallen over the previous decade4, rents and home costs have risen to document highs. Since Barcelona’s clampdown on short-term leases started, rents5 have risen by 70 %, whereas the typical price of a home has elevated by 60 %6.
Vacant houses
Vacant houses in Barcelona outnumber quick time period leases by eight to 17. Insurance policies that deal with this difficulty usually tend to increase inexpensive housing provide than clamping down on Airbnb.
Accommodations drive mass tourism developments
In accordance with Barcelona Tourism official figures, 75 % of vacationers in 2023 stayed in Accommodations and Hostels8. Within the Outdated City of Barcelona, the place the impacts of overtourism are most obvious, there are six occasions extra lodge beds than short-term leases. A 3rd of lodge beds in Barcelona (22,375 models) are concentrated in Outdated City9, in comparison with simply 3,253 beds of short-term leases in that space.
Resort numbers are rising
As considerations on the impacts of overtourism in Barcelona rise, the town is rising its already huge and dominant lodge provide. Throughout Spain, native governments – together with in Barcelona – have authorized plans to construct over 800 new inns, which can create 75,000 new lodge rooms, with nearly 90 % of them allotted to current vacationer hotspots. And whereas the Mayor of Barcelona mentioned a clampdown on Airbnb is critical to handle overtourism within the metropolis, he additionally mentioned10 that there’s potential for five,000 new lodge rooms in Barcelona, which “will probably be boosted by the tip of short-term leases” in Barcelona.
Document-high lodge costs
With few rivals and a close to monopoly on tourism in Barcelona, inns have elevated their costs to document highs. Official data reveals that over the previous decade, the typical worth of a lodge room11 in Barcelona has skyrocketed by greater than 60 %.
“Similar to in New York Metropolis, Barcelona’s decade-long clampdown on Airbnb is failing to ship on its promise to fight overtourism and the housing disaster,” mentioned Theo Yedinsky, VP, Public Coverage at Airbnb. “The one winner from Barcelona’s warfare on quick time period leases is the lodge trade, which is quickly increasing and rising costs. We encourage Barcelona to rethink its strategy, as a result of it’s clear that Airbnb will not be the reason for historic challenges within the metropolis. We’re desirous to work with leaders on new guidelines that help native households who host, and make tourism extra sustainable for everybody.”
Authorities in the EU, Spain, and Catalonia have criticized the foundations in Barcelona as not match for goal, elevating considerations about their necessity, equity and efficacy. Local hosts are at present challenging these rules in court, underscoring the necessity for a balanced strategy that considers the pursuits of all stakeholders.
Airbnb has labored diligently with Barcelona to implement current laws and has eliminated over 7,000 listings from the platform since 2018. Nevertheless, it’s clear that these measures haven’t produced the specified outcomes. Airbnb is dedicated to working with governments worldwide to advertise accountable tourism that makes communities stronger.
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