- Title: Spain's Balearic Islands to fine illegal tourist rentals
- Date: 8th August 2017
- Summary: PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN (AUGUST 8, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TOURISTS ARRIVING AT PALMA DE MALLORCA AIRPORT WITH THEIR LUGGAGE TOURISTS ON THE BEACH AND PALMA CATHEDRAL IN THE BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ENJOYING THE BEACH VARIOUS OF CROWDS OF TOURISTS WALKING IN PALMA CITY CENTRE WOMAN DRESSED IN PINK HOLDING A PINK UMBRELLA PINK HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE TAKING TOURISTS FOR A TOUR TOURISTS WITH LUGGAGE TOURISTS IN THE OUTDOOR TERRACE OF A MCDONALD'S RESTAURANT VARIOUS OF TOURISTS WAITING WITH THEIR LUGGAGE AT THE FRONT DOOR OF A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING TOURISTS WALKING IN CENTRE EXTERIOR OF GOVERNMENT BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MINISTER OF TOURISM OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BALEARIC ISLAND, BIEL BARCELO, SAYING: "Citizens are increasingly critical of the nuisance that excessive mass tourism can generate and we share that criticism in the government. We are working to achieve sustainability and balance." VARIOUS OF BALCONY WITH A BANNER WITH A PICTURE OF A WOMAN WAVING HER CANE AT TOURISTS WHO ARE RUNNING AWAY READING (Majorcan) "THE CITY IS FOR WHO LIVES IN IT, NOT FOR WHO VISITS IT" APARTMENT BLOCK (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, MARIA LUISA, SAYING: "I don't know where I will go after September. I can't find anything I can afford. I cannot pay more than 600 euros because I don't earn enough. Tourism is good, it generates money and people can work, but it's not acceptable that locals can't afford rents." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, FRANCISCO, SAYING: "The centre of Palma is becoming too expensive, not only the centre, (the island) in general. It's really noticeable, it's becoming too expensive." (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, ANDY, SAYING: "We have a kitchen, we can cook for ourselves, and a fridge and a freezer and the local markets and supermarkets, we enjoy all that." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TOURIST FROM ARGENTINA, ARIEL, SAYING: "We are a family and a flat is more convenient for us because we can cook and we are more comfortable." BEACH WOMAN SUNBATHING MAN AND WOMAN IN THE WATER
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2017 16:05
- Keywords: apartments HomeandAway Spain tourism Barcelona Airbnb rentals Balearics Mallorca
- Location: PALMA DE MALLORCA AND BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: PALMA DE MALLORCA AND BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0016TAR1VR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Spain's Balearic Islands will from Tuesday (August 8) penalise landlords for illegally renting apartments to tourists with fines of up to 40,000 euros ($47,228) amid an increasing backlash against the effects of mass tourism across the country.
The move is an escalation in efforts to crack down on home-sharing sites such as Airbnb by city councils or local authorities in Spain, as concern mounts over the side-effects of their increasing popularity.
In the Balearic Islands, which drew more foreign visitors than any other region in Spain this June, rental costs have jumped and there are fears of a housing shortage for residents.
Rental prices in Palma de Mallorca, the Mediterranean archipelago's biggest city, have risen 40 percent in the last five years, according to property platform Mitula.
Renting apartments without a licence was banned in the region in 2012 under a previous administration, but enforcement was largely non-existent, according to the Balearic government.
The new legislation establishes fines of between 20,000 and 40,000 euros for those renting flats without a license to tourists for under a month, without a contract or deposit.
Local residents will be able to report suspected illegal flats through a website, and online platforms such as Airbnb and Homeaway could also face fines of up to 400,000 euros if they are found to advertise rentals without a license number.
Biel Barcelo, the Balearic Island government's head of tourism said the administration shred concerns from local residents about the negative effects of mass tourism and the law aims to contribute to a sustainable model of tourism that doesn't affect the local population negatively.
Each island in the Balearics - Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera - will have a year to decide if and where they will allow licensed tourist rentals to continue.
Concerns about visitor crowds and rentals have spread across Spain and have prompted a growing backlash, even though the tourist industry is key for the economy and the government wants to encourage holidaymakers to return.
On Monday (August 7), Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy highlighted the financial benefits of tourism and encouraged Spaniards to treat visitors well after a video emerged last week of masked activists scaring tourists with flares in Mallorca.
Barcelona, in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia and another tourism magnet, has also introduced controls on tourist apartments and sought to fine Airbnb and Homeaway for advertising ones that are unlicensed. Local residents have been staging protests against private flat rentals for several years in Barcelona complaining about drunk tourists and the noise they make as well as the effect the private rentals have on local real estate price. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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