Madrid (TAN): The Spanish Supreme Court has overturned a ban on renting out private rooms on the popular Canary Islands, home-sharing website Airbnb has said in a statement.
The court’s decision came on January 25. This follows a decision taken last December that allows residents to rent out entire homes.
Saying that the ban “does not make sense”, the court, according to Airbnb, said: “The only plausible explanation for this shortcoming is to favor the offer of traditional tourist accommodation mainly present in these tourist areas, thereby violating free competition.”
“The decisions from the Supreme Court are good news for local hosts and healthy tourism that spreads benefits to everyone – families, businesses and communities – on the Canary Islands,” said Sergio Vinay, public policy lead for Airbnb in Spain and Portugal. The company stands to gain from this decision.
Airbnb also claimed that a much larger percentage of money goes back to the local hosts/community from bookings tourists make through Airbnb than bookings in hotels.
“The decisions from the Supreme Court are good news for local hosts and healthy tourism that spreads benefits to everyone – families, businesses and communities – on the Canary Islands,” said Sergio Vinay, public policy lead for Airbnb in Spain and Portugal. The company stands to gain from this decision.
