Airbnb, HomeAway Each Fined by Barcelona Officials

(Source: Travel Weekly)

Airbnb and Expedia's HomeAway division were each fined about $635,000 last week by Barcelona government officials for facilitating accommodation rentals for units that the officials said are unlicensed.

Barcelona officials are taking issue with the growth of short-term rental units geared toward travelers. There are more than 3,800 Airbnb listings and more than 1,700 HomeAway listings in the city.

Airbnb said it will appeal the decision.

"Airbnb is part of the solution in Barcelona and spreads guests and benefits to middle-class families and their communities," the company said in a statement. "Barcelona needs clear home-sharing rules, and we want to work with everyone in the city, like we have in countless other cities around the world."

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau has spoken out about the growth in tourism to the city and the potentially negative impact on residential life. Last year, Spain attracted an annual record 60.8 million visitors, with about 8 million tourists visiting Barcelona. Colau has estimated that the number of Barcelona's tourist-accommodation units has surged about 19% during the past five years.

"We want to be cities which are open to the world. We want people to visit us," Colau said at the Governance and Management of Urban Tourism Summit earlier this month. "But we also want this activity to be compatible with neighborhood life."

"HomeAway has run regular information and awareness campaigns on regulation among homeowners and openly collaborates with authorities to look for solutions that allow local homeowners, travelers and the broader community to thrive," said HomeAway spokesman Philip Minardi. "We welcome the opportunity to continue that engagement with the city."