Airbnb Blames Hotels for Overtourism as Cities Push Back

As European cities grapple with the growing impact of overtourism, short-term rental platform Airbnb is shifting the blame to hotels, drawing criticism from local governments, travel industry leaders, and analysts.

In a June report titled Overtourism in the EU, Airbnb claimed that 78% of guest nights in the region are spent in hotels and argued that short-term rentals (STRs) represent a small portion of the tourism ecosystem. The company suggested that STRs help mitigate overtourism by dispersing visitors outside traditional hotspots and providing flexible accommodation options during peak demand.

However, industry leaders and experts are pushing back. Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá Hotels International, called Airbnb’s claims “unfair and hypocritical,” citing that hotel capacity in Spain has grown just 2.5% over the past decade, while vacation rentals have surged 135%, often without regulatory oversight. He added that STRs have strained infrastructure and contributed to the housing crisis in tourist-heavy regions.

Airbnb’s report comes amid mounting legal and regulatory challenges. In Spain, authorities ordered the removal of 65,000 illegal Airbnb listings in May, causing the company’s share price to drop. Barcelona plans to ban tourist-focused STRs by 2028, while the Spanish government may impose a 21% tax on rentals.

Cities like Barcelona, Lisbon, and Genoa have witnessed increasingly vocal protests against mass tourism. Critics argue that Airbnb’s stance overlooks its own role in fueling the crisis. Hotels, meanwhile, emphasize their contributions to local economies and adherence to regulations.

While Airbnb blames hotels, industry leaders say the solution lies in coordinated regulation, responsible tourism, and collaborative planning.

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Airbnb Blames Hotels for Overtourism as Cities Push Back

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