Airbnb today called on city leaders in the European Union's ten most visited cities to address the overwhelming impact of hotels as a driver of mass tourism. Their call came as Palma prepared for the latest anti-tourism protest with Mallorcan hoteliers blaming Airbnb for much of the tourist overcrowding.
Using Eurostat data Airbnb said that that hotels were responsible for almost 80 percent of overnight stays in the European Union in 2024. Between 2021 and 2023, the number of nights booked in the continent's ten most visited cities increased 2.5 times - more than 200 million additional nights - and hotels accounted for three quarters of this increase.
‘If cities are serious about mass tourism, they can no longer ignore the impact of hotels,’ says Theo Yedinsky, Airbnb's Vice President of Public Policy, "Europe needs more housing, not more hotels. Yet in many cities, hotel construction continues, while housing development falls to lows not seen in almost a decade."
The report, entitled ‘Mass tourism in the EU’, is based on official data from Eurostat, the World Tourism Organisation, industry sources and Airbnb's own statistics.
Among its main conclusions:
In 2024, an all-time record was broken: 3 billion nights were booked in hotels and similar accommodations in European destinations.
Hotel accommodations account for around 80% of overnight stays in the EU.
Between 2021 and 2023, the two years following COVID-19 and which saw the sudden recovery of tourism, total overnight stays in the 10 most visited and popular cities in the EU increased by more than 200
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Most tourists travel to Majorca by air from many, many countries. So logically it’s the very large Palma airport , that’s responsible for overcrowding. And it’s still growing.
The Hotel Bussiness is and has Been very close to the Government for the last 50 years private jets flying to Cuba caymen or Venezuela Caracas do you have any idea how close they are to the hotel bussiness , the average wage in Spain has continued to go down relative to the rest of Europe over the last 30 years well as I said the air b&b and local rentals has no representation in the Government what so ever , make sure you go to the protest on Sunday I’m going to be in my pool !
FredReally? Money in the Caymans sounds dirty. Who keeps their money there? Hoteliers? I find it difficult to believe the business is so lucrative. Besides, hotels employ people, unlike private rentals. They also pay commercial tax rates. No, it’s the single family residence turned commercial rental that causes the problems, especially with foreign - oftentimes corporate - ownership.
This is such a Stupid Discusssion the Hotels run the islands the sad thing is this money goes to banks in the Caymens or elsware no Question the renting of private places for guests has been attacked as they really have no power and really easy to Attack , love Mallorca , Love It
I agree that the hotel industry has got the government by the balls, and they are always ready to squeeze when it suits them. But it does beg the question; isn’t that the whole raison d’etre of a hotel? Beds for tourists? It is not the purpose that your local apartment building was designed for. Take note AirBnB.
Not sure pointing the finger at legally-approved and taxed hotels is terribly productive when it seems up to half of private rentals in recent history were illegal/unapproved. But/and without doubt am embargo should be considered on any additional hotel construction. If I were in island government I would want to produce and publish the sources of tourism income, the net receipts to the island authorities, the precise nature of any evasion, and the breakdown of the spend from that net income. Let’s start seeing and hearing a complete and proper story.