All political groups within the Canary Islands Parliament reached a unanimous agreement yesterday, aligning with Regional Minister of Tourism and Employment, Jessica de León, on the imperative to establish legislation regulating holiday rentals. They emphasized the critical importance of finding a harmonious balance among various interests and engaging with all stakeholders involved.
During her address to the parliamentary session, Minister De León highlighted that housing rights, sustainability, urban planning, quality of life, employment, consumer protection, and tourism are facets that must be reconciled within this regulatory framework. She underscored that the existing regulations are fragmented and outdated, echoing her earlier statements in an interview with DIARIO DE AVISOS.
The Minister also announced the commencement of consultations, starting with a meeting today involving employers, trade unions, Island Councils, and town councils. This marks the initial step in engaging all sectors and incorporating input from universities, parliamentary groups, and councils into the consultations. She emphasized that the core issues at stake are sustainability, housing rights, environmental protection, quality of life, and employment. Minister De León pledged to establish a legal framework that is highly participatory, multidisciplinary, and multisectoral.
SITUATION IN THE CANARY ISLANDS
The Canary Islands have the second-largest number of holiday rental properties in Spain, trailing only the Balearic Islands, with approximately 43,000 units, equating to a supply of 175,000 beds, constituting 33.5% of the Islands’ total accommodation offerings, as per INE data cited by Minister De León.
The current regulations date back to 2015, and some aspects of the decree were invalidated by the courts. In general, regulations pertaining to this sector range from 8 to 27 years old, even though the surge in this type of tourism is relatively recent, as highlighted by the Majorera politician.
The current regulations lack provisions for tourism or urban planning, do not establish quantitative limits, fail to address quality standards or distinguish between categories or modalities, and do not require a central registry. Minister De León highlighted concerning cases, such as La Oliva in Fuerteventura, where 30% of the municipality’s homes are utilized for holiday rentals. She also expressed concerns about the state housing law, which she stated “unprotects the owner and defends the occupier,” resulting in reduced supply and pressure on the property market.
Overall, all parliamentary groups concur on the necessity for comprehensive regulation in this matter.
