Spain fines Airbnb $75 million for listings of unlicensed rentals

MADRID, ‌Dec 15 (Reuters) - Spain's Consumer ‍Rights ‌Ministry has fined vacation rental firm ⁠Airbnb ABNB.O ‌64 million euros ($75 million) for advertising unlicensed tourist accommodations, it ⁠said on Monday in a statement. 

The fine ​comes after the firm ‌in July withdrew ⁠65,000 listings the ministry said violated its rules.

Airbnb did ​not immediately respond to a request for comment. The fine can be appealed in court.

Spain's leftist ​government, ‍as well ​as some city councils and regional authorities, have been cracking down on tourism rentals via sites such as Airbnb and ⁠Booking.com BKNG.O, which many in Spain blame ​for creating excess tourism and driving up housing costs.

($1 = 0.8517 euros)

(Reporting by Emma ‌Pinedo, additional reporting by Jesús Calero, editing by Andrei Khalip)