B2 – Upper Intermediate
The rise of short-term rental platforms like Airbnb has sparked growing debate across Europe, especially in countries like Spain where tourism plays a major economic role. While these platforms offer convenience for travelers, they are also blamed for driving up housing costs, displacing local residents, and transforming authentic neighborhoods into tourist zones.
As cities like Barcelona and Madrid push back with new rules and license bans, the challenge is balancing tourism with residents’ rights to affordable, livable communities. This reveals an underlying struggle between profit-driven tourism and the long-term well-being of urban life.
Read the article to see how Spain is dealing with the impact of short-term rentals on local housing.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/30/travel/why-airbnb-facing-trouble-spain
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “blight” mean here? “While Airbnb is appealing the move, it can’t come soon enough for some in Spain who say their lives have been blighted by the lack of affordable living accommodation.” Use it in a sentence and give 2 synonyms.
- What does the phrase “to tip the balance” mean? “And not everyone is convinced it will tip the balance in favor of those struggling to find long-term accommodation.” Use it in a sentence and give 2 synonyms.
- What does the idiom “in the grip of someone/something” mean? “A surge in homes being listed on platforms like Airbnb means Spain’s main urban centers like Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia are now in the grip of a housing rental crisis that has, in recent months, become Spaniards’ primary worry, according to the Spanish Center for Sociological Research.” Use it in a sentence and give 2 synonyms.
Discussion Questions:
- How does short-term rental tourism (like Airbnb) affect housing availability in major cities like Barcelona or Madrid? What are the pros and cons?
- What do you think about Barcelona City Council’s plan to stop renewing licenses for tourist apartments after 2028, forcing more than 10,000 apartments to become available for locals?
- Should cities limit the number of Airbnbs to protect local communities, even if it means losing tourist income?
- How do you feel about this quote from the article:
“…cities are turned into theme parks for the excessive profit of a few investment funds”? Do you think profit should ever outweigh community needs? - What would you do if you had to share a flat in your 30s or 40s because of rising rental prices? Would you stay in the city or move away?
- Is tourism-based housing making your city or country less livable for residents? Explain why or why not.
2 replies on “Airbnb Facing Trouble in Spain”
How does short-term rental tourism (like Airbnb) affect housing availability in major cities like Barcelona or Madrid? What are the pros and cons?
I think that short-term rental tourism has grown too much because of the good price to stay in Barcelona for a little time, but this situation has triggered streets in Barcelona are massive, with a lot of people who are located in neighbourhoods made for Barcelona citizens and now they have to pay for a better place and more expensive for live in peaceful
What do you think about Barcelona City Council’s plan to stop renewing licenses for tourist apartments after 2028, forcing more than 10,000 apartments to become available for locals?
I think that’s good because you have to regulate the tourism in your city and don’t let the citizens to expose your city as they want. There are already places to stay like hotels, hostals and apartments made for this target. So, with this measure I think the price of housing will be less
Should cities limit the number of Airbnbs to protect local communities, even if it means losing tourist income?
As I said in the previous question, I think that cities have to regulate the prices and the places that offers this service. You shouldn’t loss tourism if you limit the cost, the number of apartments that you rent. You only have to regulate it for not have massive people in your city and not have a very expensive price of housing.
How do you feel about this quote from the article:
“…cities are turned into theme parks for the excessive profit of a few investment funds”? Do you think profit should ever outweigh community needs?
I think that is normal to try to make a profit with situations like this, but I think that you have to think in the citizens too. Actually, they are really giving value to the city and not the tourism, so you have to found the balance with this two targets.
What would you do if you had to share a flat in your 30s or 40s because of rising rental prices? Would you stay in the city or move away?
I think that I won’t never do that. I prefer to stay with someone of my family before share a flat. I am working hard to have a good live and I want to live in my born city because I love it. So definitively, I prefer to save all money as I can to stay here and buy a house for myself
Is tourism-based housing making your city or country less livable for residents? Explain why or why not.
In my city not, is not a city for tourism. By the other hand, is possible that tourism in Barcelona has increased the price of the rent and for that reason the people are moving to other cities like mine and this is increasing too the price here.
Job well done expressing your thoughts regarding this topic!
You may improve this answer:
This way:
Keep it up!