Some popular holiday destinations are cracking down on illegal holiday lets(Image: Europa Press via Getty Images)British travellers staying in popular holiday hotspots are being warned of new rules being enforced for tourists. Officials in some of the UK tourists’ favourite holiday destinations are now taking a tough stance on illegal holiday lets in the hope of curbing overtourism.
Spain has joined Italy, France, the Netherlands, Portugal and Greece in cracking down on unlicensed properties following protests from frustrated locals.
Last summer, overtourism protests erupted in Spain over problems with illegal holiday rentals. Locals blame tourists for the housing crisis in their hometowns after rental prices reached unprecedented levels.
In Majorca, many locals are already in despair over the state of the housing market, with prices shooting up by another 15% in the last year alone, reports the Express.
Authorities in Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Greece are stepping up inspections, introducing new licensing systems, and demanding greater cooperation from booking platforms in the hope of quickly and efficiently dealing with the problem.
Despite warnings of hefty fines earlier this year, a Spanish government report claimed that 7,000 holiday apartments are still being rented out illegally in the Balearic Islands.
It is hoped that the hardline crackdown will create a fairer market for legal operators and protect communities. Authorities in these holiday hotspots say their message is clear: tourists are welcome but only when it does so legally and there is respect between locals and visitors.
The housing shortage in Spain is now so dire that the Spanish government has described it as a “social emergency.” They estimate that between 600,000 and a million new homes must be built in the next four years to meet demand.
The cost-of-living crisis is also taking its toll, with a third of Spaniards admitting they can’t afford a week-long holiday, according to the National Statistics Institute.
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Barcelona is leading the way with tough regulations on cracking down on holiday lets. The city is currently phasing out tourist apartments and aiming to eliminate all licensed short-term rentals by 2028.
Mayor Jaume Collboni has announced that the City Council will not renew any licences for tourist-use apartments once they expire in November 2028.
Majorcan officials admit to a drop in tourist numbers across the Balearic Islands due to protests.
The Mallorca Hotel Business Federation (FEHM) said municipalities such as Soller are seeing noticeable declines in tourist activity, while the Majorca Daily Bulletin says industry representatives across the hotel, hospitality, and transport sectors have reported a decrease in tourist footfall.
Pedro Oliver, the president of the College of Tour Guides, said his excursion sales have fallen 20% this summer. Valldemossa, Palma, and Port Soller are the worst-affected areas.