Spain has ordered Booking.com to remove over 4 000 rentals as the country continues to crack down on short-term rentals to ease the housing crisis in cities battling overtourism.
Booking.com had to remove 4 093 listings from its platform following direct orders from Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs as the properties were advertised as short-term rentals without valid registration numbers, reports EuroWeekly News.
All online short-term rental listings must include a verified registration number. Platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com are now required to verify this number before publishing or advertising a listing.
This comes after Airbnb was ordered to remove more than 60 000 listings.
The crackdown is part of a wider effort to bring tourist accommodation under control, as unregulated holiday rentals have been blamed for the housing crisis in tourist-heavy areas by driving up local rents and shrinking the housing market for residents.
