Barcelona steps up crackdown and fines on Airbnb

(Reuters) – Authorities in Barcelona have stepped up a crackdown on homes illegally rented out to tourists via homesharing websites such as Airbnb, ordering hundreds to be removed from listings and hitting firms with a fine, while threatening more in the future.
Barcelona is not the only European city to take a swipe at Airbnb, which has rapidly expanded across the globe and often come into conflict with local rules. This year, Paris conducted raids on illegally sub-letted apartments and B