Barcelona’s Mayor, Jaume Collboni, announced on Friday his intention to end holiday home rentals in the Spanish city by the close of 2028.
The ambitious move is aimed at resolving a deepening housing shortage in the Catalan city. It also addresses local residents’ long-standing complaints about mass tourism in the region.
"All apartments legally rented to tourists will eventually be available for metropolitan residents," declares Mayor Collboni. "From 2029 onwards, there will no longer be vacation properties in Barcelona as we know them today."
A total of at least 10,000 residences are expected to be reinserted into the rental market or put up for sale. The Mayor maintains that the rental prices of homes in Barcelona surged by 70% and sales prices by 40% over the past decade.
"Young people moving away from their parents’ homes shouldn’t feel compelled to leave Barcelona," stated the socialist official. "Solving problems does take time. However, this measure marks a real turning point."
Recently, Barcelona, Majorca and the Canary Isles have seen significant demonstrations against mass tourism. Locals argue that the influx of tourists not only inflates property prices but also poses threats to the environment and infrastructure.
