Latest / STR Unpacked / Barcelona's STR ban is still 2 years away.But the market is already moving.
Transcript
- Ben: Morning and welcome to your short-term rental bulletin. Barcelona hasn't banned short-term rentals yet. That's not until 2028 but the market is already moving. New data shows that Barcelona tightens enforcement on tourist apartments and demand is shifting away. Guests who can't find short-term rentals in central districts are booking hotels instead. The supply is contracting and competition is intensifying. This isn't a surprise. Barcelona announced years ago it would phase out 10,000 plus existing short-term rental licenses by 2028-2029 and the Constitutional Court backed it and now the city is actively enforcing it. So what I think is interesting is what's happening before the deadline. So operators still holding licenses are seeing a less crowded market, hotels are gaining occupancy and anyone who thought that they had two more years to figure it out is discovering that the market doesn't wait for the legal deadline. lesson for operators across Europe, regulation doesn't land on day one of enforcement, it lands the moment the market believes it's coming. Barcelona believed it years ago, the rest of Europe is catching up fast. That's been your bulletin for today, I'll see you tomorrow.