Airbnb has launched a high-profile media campaign across Europe aimed at shifting blame for overtourism away from its short-term rental platform, following renewed political scrutiny and regulatory crackdowns in key markets such as Spain.
The company’s latest public messaging offensive includes the release of a report titled Overtourism in the EU and coordinated interviews with major news outlets, including the Financial Times, where Airbnb’s Vice President of Public Policy, Theo Yedinsky, directly accused the hotel sector of driving urban overcrowding.
The report argues that traditional hotels are responsible for nearly 80% of overnight stays in the EU, and that new hotel construction—40,000 new rooms in 2024, with 250,000 more in planning—has outpaced residential housing development. Citing official Eurostat data, Airbnb insists that hotel-driven tourism is straining infrastructure and limiting access to affordable housing, particularly in Europe’s most visited cities.
“We end up getting a lot of the blame, especially in city centres,” Yedinsky told the FT. “The reality is overtourism is really driven by hotels.”
The remarks follow a decision by the Spanish government to order the removal of nearly 66,000 short-term rental listings from Airbnb’s platform, as part of an enforcement campaign targeting illegal and unlicensed holiday lets. That action came alongside public comments from Spain’s Economy Minister, Carlos Cuerpo, who acknowledged that the record number of international visitors poses serious challenges for the resident population.
Speaking to the Associated Press earlier this week, Cuerpo said: “It’s important to understand that these record numbers in terms of tourism also pose challenges. And we need to deal with those challenges also for our own population.” He identified the proliferation of short-term rental apartments in city centres as a key contributor to Spain’s housing crisis.
Spain received 94 million foreign tourists in 2024, a record high, with forecasts suggesting the figure may reach 100 million in 2025. Yet with a housing deficit estimated at 450,000 units and construction rates near post-2008 lows, public frustration has intensified. Protests in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona have drawn tens of thousands, with banners reading “Get Airbnb out of our neighbourhoods” becoming increasingly common.
Airbnb’s media campaign counters this narrative, claiming that its platform distributes guests more evenly across regions and reduces pressure on central districts. According to company data, nearly 60% of Airbnb guest nights in the EU in 2024 occurred outside cities. In the ten most visited EU cities, Airbnb says over 260,000 guests stayed in neighbourhoods without a single hotel, and bookings in such areas rose by 60% between 2022 and 2024.
Yedinsky argued that restrictions on short-term lets in places like Amsterdam and Barcelona have had little impact on tourism pressure, instead concentrating visitors into hotel districts and driving up prices. Hotel rates have increased by 50% in Amsterdam and 35% in Barcelona since 2019, he noted.
Airbnb also highlights the economic contribution of its model. In 2024, travel via Airbnb contributed an estimated €41.5 billion to GDP across France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, supporting over 600,000 jobs. The company claims that nearly half of hosts rely on rental income to help afford their homes.
However, policymakers in Spain appear unconvinced. Minister Cuerpo reiterated that while tourism remains a vital component of Spain’s economy—accounting for 12% of GDP—the government must prioritise housing for residents. “This is the key challenge for this term,” he said, advocating an all-of-the-above approach combining new housing construction, regulation of the market, and oversight of short-term rentals.
Airbnb’s latest report and associated press activity reflect growing concern within the company about reputational risk and regulatory headwinds in key European markets. With further clampdowns expected in other high-tourism states, the firm is attempting to reframe the debate by placing the burden of responsibility on the traditional hospitality sector.
Yet as public anger mounts and governments weigh more aggressive measures, it remains unclear whether shifting the narrative will be enough. For now, Airbnb faces mounting scrutiny—not only from regulators but also from residents increasingly vocal about the trade-offs of mass tourism in residential neighbourhoods.
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