Barcelona Set to Revoke 10,101 Tourist Apartment Licences by 2028
Barcelona, in a bold move against overtourism, has confirmed plans to revoke all 10,101 active tourist apartment (HUT) licences by November 2028. As reported by Travel Daily News, this initiative aims to transition thousands of short-term rental properties, predominantly listed on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, back to the long-term residential housing market.
According to a recent Barcelona Barometer survey, 75% of the 800 city residents surveyed support this measure. This reflects the widespread discontent over inflated housing costs caused by the tourist rental surge. Since 2026, the issuance of new tourist apartment licences has been halted, and over 3,500 apartments have already been reclaimed for residential housing.
Operators who fail to comply face hefty fines of up to €600,000. In a landmark case in March 2026, a Spanish court ordered Airbnb to pay €64 million for listing over 65,000 properties without valid licences.
The industry group Apartur is currently challenging this policy in court. Meanwhile, hotel operators, who will continue to operate under existing frameworks, stand to gain significantly from the reduced competition in one of Europe’s most visited cities.
Source: Travel Daily News