From November 2028, it will no longer be possible to short-term rent flats à la Airbnb in Barcelona, according to a proposal.
The Spanish city's government is formulating the proposal as a way to reclaim 10,000 flats for the population.
Barcelona already has a tourist tax of 5 euros per day for those renting a flat or house as a tourist in the city. Now, Barcelona's mayor, Jaume Collboni, wants to withdraw all permits for such tourist accommodation entirely, as a way to curb mass tourism in the country, reports El País.
They are also demanding that the construction industry set aside 30 per cent of all newly built flats for people with low incomes.
The reason is, among other things, that it is difficult, especially for young people, to get a decent flat because many earn so well from renting out their flats via websites and services like Airbnb.
On Barcelona's political agenda, it has been raised previously that the city's urban plan should specify how many tourist flats the city can have. Since 2014, no further tourist flat licences have been granted. At that time, the city froze the supply at 9,600 flats.
