The Canary Islands government and Airbnb have signed an agreement to identify and remove holiday rental listings that breach regulations in the archipelago and are deemed "manifestly irregular."
In a statement issued on Friday, both the platform and the regional government confirmed that this initiative will also apply to tents, campervans, yurts and boats.
This agreement forms part of Airbnb's listing notification and deactivation protocol, which outlines a clear and efficient process for removing listings that authorities have identified as clearly violating both regional regulations and the platform's terms of service.
More than 150 listings detected in three weeks
Airbnb has removed over 150 listings in three weeks after being flagged by the regional government's Tourism Management Department's inspection service for non-compliance.
Under this collaboration, any new short-term rental listings on the platform must now include a registration number on the property profile, effective immediately.
Going forward, short-term accommodation will not be allowed to appear on Airbnb without this identification code, which will confirm the property’s compliance with regulations.
In this regard, the Canary Islands' Minister of Tourism and Employment, Jéssica de León, expressed her gratitude to Airbnb for its willingness to collaborate in ensuring transparency within the sector. "This public-private partnership will help us control irregular supply, as our goal is to protect residents and regulated tourist accommodations," she said.
She also emphasised that, "In line with our roadmap, we are working to ensure that irregular tourism offerings, which also undermine our quality as a destination, have no place on these platforms."
For his part, Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago, CEO of Airbnb Marketing Services, SL, stated that "this collaboration agreement between the Canary Islands Government and Airbnb marks a significant step forward in the implementation of the new European framework for short-term rentals."
He also highlighted that "it demonstrates Airbnb's commitment to strengthening its collaboration with cities and governments across Spain, to ensure a smooth transition to the new EU regulations for all parties involved."
Finally, Rodríguez de Santiago announced that Airbnb will launch a campaign targeting the host community in the Canary Islands, specifically focused on the new European regulations and the registration and licencing requirements, which will be mandatory in Spain under the new legislative framework.
Community of owners to approve new Tourist Licences
Last 3rd of April 2025, Spain’s Horizontal Property Act was amended. This is the law that rules on community of owners in Spain.
Booking removes 4,000 Spain holiday rentals to comply with consumer laws
Booking.com has removed 4,093 tourist accommodation listings in Spain, most of which were in the Canary Islands, following a request from the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and the 2030 Agenda.
Andalusia to create police force to inspect illegal tourist flats
The President of the Andalusian Regional Government, Juanma Moreno, has announced the creation of the "Titan Group," a unit within the national police dedicated to monitoring and inspecting illegal tourist accommodation.
Could holiday rentals disappear in Spain?
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has announced that the city will withdraw all 10,101 tourist accommodation licences by November 2028. The aim, according to the city council, is to free up homes for residential use and improve access to housing. However, the measure has sparked swift backlash from the sector, which sees it as a blow to a well-established economic model.
Country houses exempt from Spain's new tourist rental register
Rural houses already registered on regional tourism registries are exempt from the new Single Register of Short-Term Rentals starting 1 July. This was confirmed by the Spanish Rural Tourism Association (Asetur) after meetings with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda.
Spain’s new short-term rental registry explained
Spain has introduced a new short-term rental registry to regulate tourist accommodations. Property owners must now register rentals with regional authorities, ensuring compliance with safety and zoning rules. The move aims to improve oversight, combat illegal listings, and protect long-term housing availability for residents.
How does the CPI affect rent updates in Spain in 2025?
Article 18 of the Spanish Urban Leases Act (LAU) outlines, among other provisions, the procedure for updating a property's rent. Although the LAU states that, in the absence of a specified index, the Competitiveness Guarantee Index (IGC in Spanish) will apply, the most commonly used benchmark for rent adjustments is the Consumer Price Index (CPI).