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MADRID 鈥斅燬pain’s government wanted to send a message last month with its聽crackdown on vacation rental company Airbnb, a minister told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The message was that the Spanish economy and its housing market are not a 鈥渇ree-for-all” that value profits over the rule of law.

The government ordered Airbnb to remove from its platform almost 66,000 holiday rentals identified as violating local rules by failing to list license numbers, listing the wrong license number, or not specifying the apartment’s owner. Airbnb is appealing the move.

Spain is one of the world’s most visited countries. It has approximately 49 million residents but last year received a record 94 million international visitors.

Meanwhile a housing affordability problem that is particularly acute in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona has led to growing antagonism against short-term holiday rentals. Airbnb is perhaps the best-known and most visible facilitator of such business.

The rise of Airbnb and other short-term rental companies is related to rising rents and housing costs, according to Spanish officials.

鈥淥bviously there is a correlation between these two facts,鈥� Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy told the AP. 鈥淚t’s not a linear relation. It’s not the only factor affecting it; there are many others. But it is obviously one of the elements that is contributing.鈥�

The country has a shortfall of 450,000 homes, a recent Bank of Spain report stated. In the tourist hot spots of the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands, half the housing stock is tourist accommodations or properties owned by nonresidents, according to the report.

鈥淭ourism is for sure a vital part of the Spanish economy; it’s a strategic and very important sector,鈥� Bustinduy said. 鈥淏ut as in every other economic activity, it must be conducted in a sustainable way. It cannot jeopardize the constitutional rights of the Spanish people 鈥斅爐heir right to housing, but also their right to well-being.鈥�

The country has seen聽several large protests聽that have drawn tens of thousands of people to demand more government action on housing. Homemade signs, including one that read 鈥淕et Airbnb out of our neighborhoods,鈥� at a recent march in Madrid point to the growing anger.

鈥淎 balance must be found between the constitutional rights of the Spanish people and economic activities in general,鈥� Bustinduy said.

Regional governments in Spain are also tackling the issue. Last year, Barcelona announced a plan to not renew licenses for any apartments in the city as short-term rentals (approximately 10,000 are currently licensed) by 2028 to safeguard the housing supply for full-time residents.

Airbnb said that while its appeal goes through the courts, no holiday rentals would be immediately taken down from the site.

In response to Spain’s order, Airbnb has said the platform connects property owners with renters, but it doesn’t have oversight obligations, even though it requires hosts to show that they are compliant with local laws.

Tech companies like Airbnb must be held accountable, Bustinduy said.

鈥淭here is a battle going on about accountability and about responsibility,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he digital nature of these extraordinarily powerful multinational corporations must not be an excuse to fail to comply with democratically established regulations.鈥�

Bustinduy, who belongs to the governing coalition’s left-wing Sumar party, dismissed the idea that the Spanish government‘s action toward Airbnb could discourage some tourists from visiting.

鈥淚t will encourage longer stays, it will encourage responsible tourism, and it will preserve everything that we have in this wonderful country,鈥� he said, 鈥渨hich is the reason why so many people want to come here.鈥�

The minister also took a shot at low-cost airlines. Spain has pushed against allowing such airlines to charge passengers for hand baggage. Last year, it fined five budget airlines, including RyanAir and easyJet, a total of $179 million for charging for hand luggage.

鈥淭he principle behind these actions is always the same: preserving consumer rights,鈥� Bustinduy said. 鈥淧owerful corporations, no matter how large, have to adapt their business models to existing regulations.鈥�

Editor’s note: AP reporter Joseph Wilson contributed to this report from Barcelona.