Spain holiday warning as 'illegal' Airbnb crackdown begins with 'Royal Decree' on short-term lets

government has stepped up to confront the issue that has skyrocketed since the pandemic ended, following frequent demonstrations in popular destinations like the Canary Islands, , and Madrid. Residents across the country have been increasingly vocal about the negative effects that the growing waves of tourists are inflicting on local services and housing.

Attempting to legislate the issue, has issued a Royal Decree that will require all holiday lets to register with a central digital service. The President, alongside the Council of Ministers, put their seal on the decree, hoping to curb the rampant "illegal" tourism trade, which has flourished recently.

This includes clamping down on over 14,000 unregistered short-stay holiday lets being advertised on platforms like within Madrid alone, which is likely to lead to a slump in available accommodation for Brits visiting the capital. This tough measure was enacted shortly after throngs of protesters, made up of students, youths, and union members, brought Madrid to a standstill, railing against the surge in holiday rentals which has pushed up locals' rents.

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With this decree, a swathe of young renters between 18 and 35 are also set to receive a monthly stipend of 250 euros from the state, in an effort to ease the burden of the tourism-fuelled crisis.

Brits on the hunt for alternative lodgings to traditional hotels, using websites like Airbnb, will likely see their options shrink in the near future following a new decree. According to a report by El Mundo, those looking to rent out their homes or properties for short-term holiday stays will now need a digital permit before they're allowed to list on any platform.

During a media briefing on the clampdown, Government Minister Isabel Rodriguez announced: "It will be impossible to market on the platforms tourist accommodation that does not comply with the regulations."

Authorities are optimistic that these measures will return over 10,000 residential properties to Madrid's long-term rental market.

Protestors gathered on Sunday emphasised that city workers now spend half their annual salaries on rent, compounded by Spain's stagnant wages - an issue particularly acute among the nation's less affluent younger demographic, who also face higher levels of underemployment.

Housing Minister Rodriguez, under severe pressure from the populace to address Spain's tourism-fueled cost of living spike, assured journalists: "Today, no one disputes that order must be put in tourist accommodation."

Spanish Socialist Prime Minister Sanchez addressed the protesting crowd, labelling the unlawful tourism situation as "deplorable" and reassuring them of his government's "absolute priority" to solve it.