The General Directorate for Consumer Protection in Spain considers them “illegal” under the law regulating the advertising of this type of accommodation.
The company, for its part, believes that the Ministry of Consumer Affairs is not competent in this area.
The Spanish government has requested that Airbnb remove nearly 66,000 listings for tourist accommodation from its platform, stating that they violate the law on advertising this type of lodging, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced on Monday, May 19.
The Ministry is demanding that “the branch of this multinational company in Ireland remove a total of 65,935 listings that are considered illegal,” according to a statement from the General Directorate for Consumer Protection (DGC).
Airbnb responded with a statement saying it will “continue to appeal decisions on this matter,” arguing that the Ministry of Consumer Affairs “is not competent to enforce regulations in the area of tourist accommodation.”