Spain Plans National Registry of Tourist Rentals to Limit Growth

By Cristina Gallardo

The Spanish government will put forward a proposal to create a national registry of short-term rentals for tourists in a bid to limit the number of listings after protests from residents in highly-populated cities.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Monday that his left-wing coalition government will table the proposal Wednesday for discussion with regional executives, as power in this policy area is largely devolved.

The goal is to prevent the fraudulent use of tourist apartments and control the increase in the number of such apartments, especially in the country's biggest cities, Sanchez told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.

Protests against the rise in tourist rentals have taken place across Spain, including in popular tourist destinations such as Barcelona, Madrid and San Sebastian.

The announcement comes after Barcelona floated plans to remove thousands of licenses for tourist rental apartments in the city by November 2028 in a move to increase long-term rentals for residents, a blow to holiday-rental companies like Airbnb.

Write to Cristina Gallardo at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

07-01-24 0644ET