Airbnb Nightmare on Ibiza: €91,000 Fine for 'Survivors-experience' in Tents Along Highway

ibiza - The municipality of Sant Jordi on Ibiza imposes a €91,000 fine on the owner of three tents in the shantytown of Can Raspalls, next to the highway.

The mayor, Vicent Roig, announced at a press conference that the municipality will evacuate the entire Can Raspalls area in Sant Jordi, partly due to the poor living conditions. There are a total of 158 'shanties' (tents and shacks) with 206 registered beds on the site. Mostly migrant workers from Western Sahara reside there.

These workers were neighbors of the tenants of the three tents, which were illegally rented out via Airbnb for €45 per night with the description 'Survivors-experience! Fifteen minutes from the airport. Includes: comfortable double mattress, sheets, fridge, kitchen utensils, dry toilet, shower bag (ten liters), and lighting by battery or solar power'.

The police discovered the illegal rentals during an inspection when they found two people coming out of a tent with suitcases. The individuals admitted to renting the tent for a night via Airbnb.

The host claimed the accommodation was 'ideal' but warned that it was only suitable 'for one or two nights' due to noise from cars, planes, insects, and birds making it hard to sleep. The tents had communal areas built with pallets, including a dining table with chairs. The host provided guests with a free airport pickup service.

Positive reviews on Airbnb praised the host's hospitality, with the accommodation receiving a perfect 5-star rating. Guests described their stay as 'incredible' and felt 'at home'.

The owner of the Can Raspalls site faces fines for allowing tourist activities and substandard housing conditions for guests. The 154 permanent residents also risk a €750 fine for continuing such activities.

Ibiza is facing a housing shortage, with room prices reaching up to €1000. Some residents and seasonal workers live in tents and shacks, even on parking lots close to luxurious yachts. Teachers commute from Mallorca, and some professionals, including doctors and nurses, resort to cost-saving measures like sleeping in their vehicles.