Barcelona is planning to ban apartment rentals to tourists by 2028, aiming to control escalating housing costs and improve livability for its residents. Mayor Jaume Collboni stated that the city would revoke licenses for the 10,101 apartments currently approved for short-term rentals, attempting to confront what is believed to be Barcelona’s largest problem. 

In recent years the local government has tightened rules to obtain licences for tourist apartments, putting an end to permanent licenses and redoubling its effort to shut down illegal tourist rentals. Since 2016, 9,700 illegal tourist apartments have been shut down while 3.500 have been recovered as primary housing for residents. Nonetheless, these measures have not prevented the number of visitors from continuing to increase and become a driving of inequality, especially amongst young people. 

The rise in short-term rentals in Barcelona has driven rents up by 68% over the past decade, with house prices increasing by 38%. While the national government might appreciate the economic benefits of tourism, local residents have been priced out in many areas and owners' preference for lucrative tourist rentals has undermined their housing access. The Major’s decision has garnered support from Spain’s Socialist Housing Minister Isabel Rodriguez but failed to gain the support of Barcelona’s tourist apartments association Apartur.