New types of tourist accommodation: marketing, localization and regulation of 'tourist dwellings' in Catalonia

The exponential growth of tourism on a global scale -particularly in a mature tourist destination as Catalonia- entails a deep transformation of the sector, and poses many challenges. One of the most important challenges is the growth of irregular or unregulated supply of accommodation related to the so-called 'tourist dwellings', generally published on websites as 'sharing economy'. This article analyses the legal and administrative concerns and the coexistence debates between locals and tourists that have been generated by these new types of accommodation in private homes, and assesses the response given by the Catalan government so as to regularize such a supply. Finally, the article analyses the territorial distribution as well, focusing on the municipality of Barcelona, where the problem is more pronounced. The research is based on the database of the Tourist Register of Catalonia, where legal 'Tourist Dwellings' are recorded.