MADRID: Spain has fined trip rental agency Airbnb 64 million euros (US$75 million) for promoting unlicensed vacationer rental properties, the Shopper Rights Ministry mentioned on Monday (Dec 15), as the federal government cracks down on extreme tourism that’s driving up housing prices.
Spain’s leftist authorities, together with some metropolis councils and regional authorities, has been searching for to curb tourism leases that use websites comparable to Airbnb and Reserving.com, which many in Spain blame for driving up housing prices by limiting the availability of properties out there to residents.
Airbnb in July withdrew 65,000 listings that the ministry mentioned violated its guidelines.
The nice is equal to 6 occasions the revenue Airbnb gained from the unlawful listings, the ministry mentioned in a press release, and is the second largest the ministry has imposed for breaching shopper rights, Shopper Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy informed reporters.
Airbnb mentioned it might enchantment.
“Airbnb is assured that the ministry actions are opposite to relevant laws in Spain and we intend to problem this nice in court docket,” an organization spokesperson mentioned.
Airbnb mentioned short-term rental guidelines modified in July and that it’s working with Spain’s Ministry of Housing to implement a brand new registration system.
“Greater than 70,000 listings have added a registration quantity since January,” the corporate added.
In 2024, Ryanair was fined 108 million euros in Spain for charging further charges on cabin luggage.
The European Fee mentioned earlier this 12 months that the fines imposed by Spain on Ryanair and different funds airways breached laws.
The ministry mentioned the Airbnb nice was geared toward serving to sort out Spain’s housing disaster.
“There are literally thousands of households dwelling on the sting due to housing, whereas a number of get wealthy from enterprise fashions that drive individuals from their properties,” Bustinduy mentioned within the assertion.
