Ibiza Becomes First Region in Spain to Remove All Illegal Airbnb Listings

Ibiza has declared itself the first territory in Spain to eliminate the illegal tourist-rental listings on Airbnb. Between July and September 2025, local authorities removed 2,831 illegal listings representing 14,532 tourist beds from the platform.

How It Happened

This accomplishment came after an agreement earlier this year between the Consell Insular d’Eivissa, Airbnb, and business organizations. The deal obliges the platform to take down any advertisements without the legally required registration number.

Key tools in the effort included:

Use of artificial intelligence and geolocation technology to identify illegal listings.

A monitoring system under the Sistema de Inteligencia Turística (Tourism Intelligence System) to cross-check data and enforce compliance.

Legal and financial support through funds raised by Ibiza’s Sustainable Tourism Tax, enabling enforcement and oversight.

Results & Impacts

Removing illegal listings had measurable effects:

Over 1 million overnight stays were prevented from happening under illegal status.

Approximately 2,059 fewer tourists per day visited this season because the non-legal option was no longer available.

Currently, every listing active on Airbnb in Ibiza has a valid registration number. The total legal tourist units on Airbnb in Ibiza now stand at 13,251 beds.

What’s Next & Remaining Challenges

While Ibiza celebrates this milestone, there are still challenges:

Inspectors say that other platforms beyond Airbnb may still harbor illegal listings.

Formentera, another island in the Balearic archipelago, is facing delays due to fewer inspection staff and resources.

Continual monitoring and enforcement are needed to prevent a resurgence of unregistered rentals.

Why This Matters

Ibiza’s action sends a strong signal about responsible tourism, legal compliance, and fair competition:

It protects legal accommodations and ensures tourists stay in licensed, regulated properties.

It helps preserve housing availability for residents by reducing competition from illegal rentals.

It reinforces the concept of sustainable tourism, balancing visitor economy with community well-being and regulatory norms.

Source: news.airbnb.com/es/ibiza-y-las-baleares-marcan-el-camino-de-la-colaboracion-con-los-gobiernos