Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Athens and Budapest are leading a major transformation of Europe’s holiday rental market in 2026 as the European Union introduces stronger registration and data-sharing requirements while individual cities tighten restrictions on tourist apartments. Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 became applicable on 20 May 2026, creating common rules for gathering information about short-term accommodation booked through digital platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo. Barcelona plans to phase out more than 10,000 licensed tourist apartments by 2028, Paris limits eligible primary residences to 90 tourist rental days annually, Amsterdam has reduced annual allowances in selected neighbourhoods, and Athens has restricted new registrations in its central districts. Budapest’s Terézváros district has also prohibited short-term apartment rentals. These changes are reshaping property compliance, accommodation distribution and long-term tourism planning across some of Europe’s most visited destinations.

Barcelona Takes Centre Stage as More Than 10,000 Tourist Apartments Face a 2028 Phase-Out

Barcelona is preparing one of the most consequential changes to holiday accommodation among Europe’s leading city-break destinations. Its local government has announced that existing tourist apartment licences will not be renewed in 2028, with the intention of returning more than 10,000 properties to residential use. The move forms part of the city’s wider housing strategy and its response to growing concerns over the availability of homes for permanent residents.

The planned transition is not an immediate prohibition on all tourist accommodation. Licensed tourist apartments can continue operating while their current authorisations remain valid, subject to applicable requirements. Hotels and other legally permitted accommodation types are not automatically affected. For international travel distributors, however, the approaching deadline creates uncertainty over future apartment inventory, particularly for families, groups and extended-stay travellers who depend on self-catering accommodation.

Barcelona’s policy illustrates the increasingly close relationship between tourism planning and housing protection. Property managers and accommodation platforms will need to follow the timetable carefully and distinguish between existing licensed properties, newly prohibited activity and future licence expiry.

Paris Tightens the Rules as the 90-Day Limit Changes Residential Holiday Letting

Paris has strengthened its controls on short-term rentals by reducing the permitted annual letting period for eligible primary residences from 120 to 90 days. The change took effect on 1 January 2025 and remains a significant part of the French capital’s approach to managing tourist accommodation in 2026. It targets occasional letting of primary homes rather than imposing the same conditions on every hotel, serviced apartment or other accommodation category.

Property owners must comply with registration requirements and, where applicable, separate authorisation rules. Secondary residences may require change-of-use permission before they can lawfully operate as tourist accommodation. These requirements are particularly important in residential neighbourhoods where the city seeks to prevent housing from being permanently diverted towards visitor use.

For tourism businesses, the regulations mean accommodation supply cannot be assessed simply by counting online listings. A property advertised through a booking platform may be subject to an annual day limit, planning conditions or a separate approval process. Paris remains a major destination for independent travel, but its regulatory framework places greater emphasis on lawful property use.

Amsterdam Introduces 15-Night Restrictions as Neighbourhood Tourism Faces New Controls

Amsterdam has adopted some of Europe’s strictest night limits for residents who temporarily rent out their homes to tourists. The standard allowance is generally 30 nights per calendar year, provided the property meets the relevant requirements. However, since 1 April 2026, the city has reduced this allowance to 15 nights in eight designated neighbourhoods, including Jordaan and Oude Pijp.

The affected areas include established residential districts that also attract substantial visitor interest because of their historic streets, canals, restaurants and cultural attractions. The lower limits are intended to address the concentration of tourist accommodation in places already experiencing pressure from visitor activity.

Amsterdam is also considering extending the 15-night restriction to Helmersbuurt from January 2027. As of 23 October 2026, this remains a proposal rather than an implemented measure. The distinction matters for accommodation operators planning future bookings. A city-wide 15-night rule does not currently apply across Amsterdam, and hosts must follow the conditions relevant to their individual neighbourhood and property.

Athens and Thessaloniki Restrict New Holiday Rental Registrations as Greece Protects Urban Housing

Athens is following a different regulatory approach by restricting the entry of new properties into the short-term accommodation market. Greece’s official housing policy portal confirms that first-time registrations remain prohibited in the first, second and third municipal districts of Athens until 31 December 2026. The measure originally began in January 2025 and was subsequently extended, reflecting the authorities’ continuing efforts to manage the use of residential properties in central areas.

The restrictions are particularly relevant for accommodation businesses operating close to Athens’ major cultural attractions and established visitor neighbourhoods. However, the measure does not automatically cancel existing lawful registrations. Greece has also expanded the policy to Thessaloniki, where new registrations are restricted in the first municipal community from 1 July to 31 December 2026. Further extensions are legally possible, although any continuation will require the relevant official decision.

Budapest and Florence Bring Historic Neighbourhoods Under Greater Accommodation Control

Budapest’s Terézváros district, also known as District VI, introduced a prohibition on short-term apartment rentals from 1 January 2026. This makes the district a significant example of a destination choosing to prohibit a particular form of tourist accommodation rather than simply limiting annual rental nights. The restriction affects the relevant activity within the district, not every hotel or accommodation establishment throughout Budapest.

Florence is also regulating visitor accommodation within its historic urban environment. Its municipal short-term rental framework, adopted in 2025, includes requirements governing tourist apartments and protections concerning the historic centre. The rules distinguish between properties that qualify under existing legal arrangements and those seeking to enter the market. Legal challenges and subsequent developments mean operators must verify the current status of individual requirements. Together, Budapest and Florence demonstrate how local governments are applying different legal instruments to address pressure on residential areas and protect historic neighbourhoods.

Vienna, Berlin and Copenhagen Strengthen Residential Property Protection

Vienna has established a general 90-day annual allowance for qualifying temporary home sharing. Since July 2024, short-term letting beyond the permitted conditions has required exceptional authorisation. This approach allows limited residential accommodation activity while restricting the conversion of homes into continuous commercial holiday rentals.

Berlin operates through its residential property protection framework, known as Zweckentfremdungsverbot. The legislation requires permission for various uses of residential property as holiday accommodation. Secondary residences may qualify for limited letting authorisation, including arrangements allowing up to 90 days annually, but the exact rules depend on the property and applicable permission.

Copenhagen also regulates holiday letting of primary homes. The general national framework permits up to 30 rental days annually, increasing to 70 days through qualifying reporting intermediaries. Additional property or tenancy conditions may apply. These examples underline the importance of distinguishing between occasional home sharing and continuous commercial tourist accommodation when assessing European rental restrictions.

Madrid, Lisbon and Palma de Mallorca Illustrate the Growing Complexity of Local Rental Rules

Madrid, Lisbon and Palma de Mallorca are also important destinations in Europe’s changing holiday rental landscape. However, their accommodation restrictions operate through separate planning, licensing and municipal frameworks rather than through a single EU-wide prohibition. Madrid’s treatment of tourist accommodation includes rules linked to building access, property use and authorisation under the applicable urban planning regime.

Lisbon regulates Alojamento Local, the Portuguese category of local accommodation, through registration requirements and designated containment areas. Restrictions may vary according to neighbourhood classification, municipal decisions and the type of accommodation offered. Palma de Mallorca likewise applies rules linked to property categories and designated locations.

For international accommodation businesses, these cities demonstrate why broad claims about complete bans, automatic percentage thresholds or uniform entrance requirements can be misleading. The legally relevant questions concern the precise address, authorised use, building characteristics and status of the licence. A city may restrict new tourist accommodation in one area while permitting regulated activity elsewhere.

London Maintains Its Separate 90-Night Rule Outside the European Union

London provides an important comparison for European tourism operators, although the United Kingdom is not subject to the EU’s new short-term rental regulation. Across Greater London, residential properties can generally be used for short-term letting for up to 90 nights per calendar year without planning permission, provided the necessary conditions are satisfied. Letting beyond this threshold normally requires permission from the relevant local planning authority.

The distinction matters for accommodation providers selling trips across Britain and the European Union. London’s regulations operate under domestic planning legislation, whereas EU member states must also apply Regulation 2024/1028 where its requirements are relevant. The London framework does not automatically establish a registration number for every property or adopt the European digital reporting model. It does, however, illustrate a shared policy concern: ensuring that visitor accommodation does not circumvent the controls governing residential housing.

New EU Registration Rules Bring Major Changes for Hosts and Booking Platforms

The EU Short Term Rental Regulations 2026 create a more consistent framework for property identification and accommodation reporting. Under Regulation 2024/1028, member states operating registration systems within the regulation’s scope must comply with the harmonised requirements. Hosts must provide the required registration information, while booking platforms must enable registration numbers to be displayed and undertake reasonable random checks.

The framework also requires cooperation when authorities identify relevant problems with registration information. Competent authorities can issue orders relating to listings, and platforms must respond in accordance with the legal requirements.

However, obtaining a registration number does not automatically grant planning permission or override restrictions on property use. A registered apartment may still be subject to local annual rental limits, building rules or tourism authorisation requirements. The EU regulation primarily addresses transparency, registration procedures and data sharing. It does not itself establish a universal ban on unregistered accommodation throughout every EU locality or impose identical penalties in every member state.

Monthly Reporting and Digital Portals Give Authorities Greater Visibility of Holiday Rentals

One of the most important operational changes concerns the transmission of rental activity information. Where the EU framework applies, qualifying online short-term rental platforms must provide activity data through national single digital entry points. The information includes registration numbers, specific property addresses, listing URLs and data reflecting the number of rented nights and guests. Reporting normally takes place monthly. Certain qualifying small and micro platforms can instead submit information quarterly, provided they meet the conditions established under the regulation.

This coordinated reporting process is designed to give public authorities a clearer understanding of short-term rental activity, especially in areas where properties are advertised across multiple platforms. It may help authorities identify discrepancies, assess local accommodation trends and enforce applicable restrictions.

The information-sharing obligations should not be confused with a new EU-wide tourism tax. The regulation does not establish a single tax rate for short-term accommodation. Tax obligations remain governed by the relevant national and local legislation, and access to platform information is subject to the regulation’s legal safeguards.

Europe Holiday Rental Restrictions 2026: Major Destinations and Key Regulations

The table illustrates the distinction between complete local prohibitions, restrictions on new registrations, annual rental limits and requirements for individual property authorisation. Barcelona’s 2028 transition remains prospective, while the existing rules in Paris, Amsterdam and central Athens are already operational.

European Short-Term Rental Demand Continues Rising Despite Tighter Regulations

EU online platform nights, Q2 2026

258.8m

+5.3% year on year

Increase versus Q2 2024

23.9%

+50 million nights

All EU tourism nights, H1 2026

1.321bn

+1.7% year on year

Source: Eurostat, releases dated 1 September and 2 October 2026. Platform-booked nights and total tourism accommodation nights are different statistical measures.

Europe’s short-term rental industry is still growing, despite stronger local regulation. Eurostat’s latest figures show that tourists spent 258.8 million nights in EU short-term accommodation booked through Airbnb, Booking or Expedia during the second quarter of 2026. This represented an increase of 13.1 million nights compared with the same quarter in 2025.

Growth reached 23.9% compared with the second quarter of 2024. The latest figures also show substantial regional variation. The Canary Islands and Rhône-Alpes each recorded approximately 8.8 million platform-booked guest nights in the first quarter of 2026, while Andalucía recorded around 8.3 million. Five of the ten leading regions were in Spain, three in France and two in Italy.

Across the wider EU tourism market, accommodation establishments recorded approximately 1.321 billion overnight stays during the first half of 2026, a rise of 1.7% compared with 2025. These figures demonstrate continued demand for European accommodation but do not establish that restrictions have increased hotel prices or caused measurable displacement into traditional lodging.

Travellers, Property Owners and Travel Companies Face New Compliance Challenges

The impact of Europe’s holiday rental changes extends across the travel and tourism supply chain. Property owners must increasingly demonstrate that their accommodation complies with registration, planning and local letting requirements. Professional property managers operating across multiple destinations face the additional task of managing different regulations for individual addresses.

For accommodation platforms, the priority is accurate registration information, appropriate verification procedures and reliable data reporting. Travel agencies and tour operators must also consider whether contracted apartments will remain legally available for future travel dates.

The principal implications include:

• Travellers: Greater visibility of registration information, alongside possible changes in accommodation availability in restricted areas.
• Property owners: Additional checks on licences, permitted rental nights and local property conditions.
• Booking platforms: Stronger operational requirements for registration verification and data transmission.
• Travel agencies: Greater need to verify the legal status of accommodation inventory.
• Hotels and serviced accommodation: Potential opportunities in destinations where residential tourist rental supply is restricted.
• Local authorities: Improved access to information supporting housing, planning and tourism oversight.

These changes may influence accommodation distribution, but their economic consequences will differ between destinations. A reduction in licensed apartments does not automatically establish higher hotel occupancy or more expensive visitor stays. Those outcomes will depend on demand, remaining supply and local market conditions.

What Happens Next as Barcelona, Amsterdam and Athens Approach New Regulatory Deadlines?

Europe’s holiday rental market faces several important milestones between late 2026 and 2028. Athens and Thessaloniki currently have new-registration restrictions scheduled until 31 December 2026, although further extensions remain possible. Amsterdam is considering extending its 15-night annual limit to Helmersbuurt from January 2027, with consultation open until 8 November 2026. Barcelona is preparing for the expiry of its existing tourist apartment licences in 2028. Alongside these local measures, EU member states and booking platforms must comply with Regulation 2024/1028 wherever its registration and data-sharing obligations apply. The European Commission is required to evaluate the regulation by 20 May 2031.

The result is a significant adjustment in Europe’s accommodation landscape. Barcelona is pursuing a substantial reduction in licensed tourist apartments, Paris and Amsterdam are restricting the duration of residential holiday letting, Athens is limiting new market entry, and Budapest’s Terézváros district has prohibited a particular category of short-term accommodation.

For the global tourism industry, the central issue is no longer simply how many holiday properties are advertised online. It is whether those properties can lawfully operate, how long they can accommodate visitors and how their activity must be reported. Europe’s increasingly regulated holiday rental market is creating new responsibilities for accommodation providers while bringing housing protection and tourism management closer together.