Business associations, Island Councils, and local town councils in the Canary Islands have voiced their support for the regulation of holiday homes and open-air tourist accommodations like campsites. The Ministry of Tourism and Employment of the Canary Islands Government, led by Jessica de León, announced plans to introduce legislation in 2024 to regulate the tourist use of housing in the region. The initiative aims to facilitate dialogue, seek consensus, protect small property owners, and combat irregular property listings.
The first step will involve opening a public consultation to gather input from citizens, organizations, and associations before drafting the regulatory project. Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Director General of Tourism Organization, Training, and Promotion, revealed that a series of meetings will be held on the islands to collect feedback and proposals for the forthcoming tourism regulations.
The goal is to create regulations that promote sustainable development of tourism activity while ensuring that all stakeholders have a say in the process. The public consultation will be published on the Canary Islands government website, and Island Councils and town councils will also share it on their transparency portals. The regulation is expected to be approved in 2024, following the parliamentary process.
Participants in the meeting expressed their positive assessment and willingness to collaborate with the Canary Islands Government in drafting the new legislative text. This comprehensive legislation will involve various government departments, covering tourism, housing, land-use planning, environment, and consumer protection.
Tourist housing concerns in the Canary Islands: second highest in Spain
The Canary Islands rank as the second autonomous community in Spain with the highest percentage of tourist housing, following only the Balearic Islands. Concerns were raised about the growth of tourist housing in certain municipalities, such as La Oliva (Fuerteventura) and Yaiza (Lanzarote), where a significant portion of housing is designated for tourist use.
Once enacted, this legislation will make the Canary Islands the second autonomous community in Spain to regulate this type of accommodation by law, following the Balearic Islands. The Technical Commission for the Study of Regulatory Needs in Tourism also convened, attended by various government officials.
