Barcelona is Planning to Ban Tourist Apartment Rentals by 2028
Barcelona, one of Spain’s most beloved tourist destinations, has announced a bold and significant policy shift aimed at addressing the city’s escalating housing crisis. By November 2028, the city will ban apartment rentals to tourists, a move designed to tackle skyrocketing housing costs and enhance liveability for residents. On June 21, Mayor Jaume Collboni unveiled this unexpected and drastic decision, stating that the city will revoke the licences of the 10,101 apartments currently approved as short-term rentals. "We are addressing what we believe to be Barcelona's most pressing issue," Collboni said during a city government event. He highlighted that the surge in short-term rentals has significantly driven up rents and home prices, pricing out many local residents and exacerbating inequality, particularly among young people. The statistics are striking: over the past decade, rents in Barcelona have climbed by 68%, while home prices have increased by 38%. This boom
