Central Government calls meeting with all regions of Spain to address holiday homes
The Ministry of Housing has summoned all regional governments for a sectoral conference this Friday morning to address the issue of holiday lets and tourist rental apartments. This will be the first sectoral meeting focused exclusively on this growing problem, according to sources from the department headed by Isabel Rodríguez.
Minister Rodríguez has expressed support for limiting holiday rental licences in high-demand areas while respecting regional competencies. She recently announced her intention to meet with the regional governments, alongside the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, to discuss the issue, which is straining the residential housing market.
"I do not want to encroach on their competencies, but this is my concern because it is straining the residential market and the right to access affordable housing," Rodríguez stated in a recent interview.
The Ministry aims to regulate the sector with a "scalpel" approach, considering territorial diversity. In this context, the government is paying attention to EU directives, as the European Court of Justice has acknowledged the need to address this issue and opened the possibility for market intervention.
While acknowledging that the rise in holiday and seasonal rentals is reducing residential housing availability in major cities and tourist areas, the Bank of Spain cautions against imposing limitations without considering their economic impact. The bank estimates a deficit of 600,000 new homes needed in Spain by 2027 to meet expected demand.
Exceltur (the Alliance for Tourism Excellence) reports a significant surge in tourist apartments at the beginning of the year, with an increase of 60,000 units (25.2%) in the 25 main cities in Spain, totalling 285,266. Madrid and Barcelona lead with 59,111 (29.8%) and 41,681 (11.8%) respectively, followed by Málaga with 32,468 (29.9%).
