The Spanish government has taken significant steps to reshape its housing market by removing fifty-three thousand tourist flats from the Single Register of Tourist and Seasonal Rentals. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced this decision during a party event in Málaga, highlighting the detection of numerous irregularities linked to properties intended for holiday rentals. The aim is to redirect these flats into permanent rentals, providing more housing options for young people and families in Spain.

In response to this decision, the housing ministry has contacted major accommodation platforms, including Airbnb and Booking.com, urging them to withdraw listings for the affected flats. Airbnb has acknowledged this critical shift, stating that it represents a new chapter in Spain, marked by a commitment to collaboration and sustainable growth. The platform has reported that approximately seventy thousand additional listings now have an official registration number, indicating greater compliance with regulations.

Despite these positive steps, Airbnb identified that nearly ten per cent of the revoked registrations are still linked to active listings. These will be promptly deregistered. Andalusia has been particularly affected, with the highest number of withdrawn registrations at sixteen thousand seven hundred and forty, followed by the Canary Islands, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community, among others.

The Ministry of Housing also noted that in the Community of Madrid, an unusual trend exists where eighty-three per cent of registration applications pertain to temporary rentals rather than tourist rentals. Major cities like Seville, Marbella, and Barcelona are now seeing a significant reduction in tourist flat registrations, reflecting the government’s intentions to prioritise long-term housing over short-term tourist accommodations.