Barcelona tourist apartments face complete elimination by 2028, threatening thousands of jobs in an already precarious sector.
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Mayor Jaume Collboni’s plan to revoke all 10,000 licensed tourist apartment permits will transform Barcelona’s housing landscape while creating significant employment challenges.
Barcelona Tourist Apartments Workforce Faces Uncertain Future
The closure impacts a workforce dominated by cleaners and maintenance staff, many working under cleaning sector agreements with poorer conditions than hospitality contracts. Trade unions CC OO, UGT and Las Kellys report widespread informal employment, including cash payments, undeclared hours and undocumented migrants. Consequently, these vulnerable workers face the greatest risk when the sector disappears.
Maria, with nearly a decade in the sector, describes worsening conditions: “Owners earn hundreds per night while we ache everywhere and feel drained. They don’t pay overtime, call us on days off, steal vacation days and don’t pay holidays properly.” Furthermore, she highlights colleagues doing “extras” – moving between properties with cleaning carts through streets, often working without contracts or proper documentation.
The employment impact estimates vary dramatically. Barcelona City Council’s University of Barcelona study suggests 4,600 to 16,000 social security contributions disappearing, while employer association Apartur’s PwC research claims 40,000 jobs at risk. These figures encompass both direct employment and indirect roles supporting the tourist apartment ecosystem.
However, some workers like Euser have found unexpected stability. “At 41, I finally have a permanent contract, breaks, paid holidays and work less than eight hours,” explains the Colombian national, fearing a return to precarious employment after eight years in Spain.
The council plans mitigation through Barcelona Activa, allocating €1.3 million annually from 2027-2029 to support up to 8,000 affected workers. This initiative will provide retraining and job placement services, particularly important given recent housing challenges highlighted by local authorities.
Meanwhile, maintenance specialist Tomás runs a business exclusively serving tourist apartments. “If 10,000 flats close, we’ll lose a specialty. I could offer services to estate agencies or renovation firms, but my heart’s in this sector where nobody wanted to work and I took a chance.”
Apartur’s director general Marian Muro strongly criticises the decision, warning: “The mayor didn’t measure consequences for employment, economic impact or events like Mobile World Congress that need 60,000 tourist apartment beds.” She maintains Europe won’t permit the closures and the sector wants regulation, not elimination.
Trade unions acknowledge job losses but differ on severity. CC OO’s Paco Galván supports addressing Barcelona’s housing crisis while recognising “a very precarious collective with no fixed workplace, making organisation difficult.” Similarly, UGT’s Ester Sanahuja notes most workers should be under hospitality agreements rather than cleaning sector contracts.
The tourist apartments closure represents Barcelona’s latest attempt to balance tourism benefits against resident needs, following other sustainability measures implemented across the city. As thousands face employment uncertainty, the coming years will test Barcelona’s ability to transform its tourism model while protecting vulnerable workers.
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