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Tourism provides more than 11 percent of Spain's economic
output, and the country has seen record levels of visitors in
recent years as worries about security keep sun-seekers away
from northern Africa and the Middle East.
Some 20 holiday flats on the islands available on the Airbnb
site don't meet regulations set in 2017, the government said in
a statement. The company had 15 days to respond.
Airbnb said it would appeal the fine, adding that the site,
which connects home owners with holiday makers, helps families
who want to take advantage of the visitors flowing to the
Mediterranean islands.
The flat-sharing site offered some 24,000 homes on the Balearic
Islands according to 2016 figures, the most recent available.
Rental prices in Palma de Mallorca, the Balearic capital, have
risen by double digits over the past few years as the popularity
of shared homes via sites such as San Francisco-based Airbnb
have sky-rocketed.
Other Spanish cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga,
Seville and Valencia, have passed laws, or are examining
regulation, to curb tourism rentals via the sites because of
their effects on local rental prices.
(Reporting by Robert Hetz, writing by Paul Day, editing by Larry
King)
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