Santa Cruz de Tenerife 26 Feb. (Europa Press) –
The hotel and non-hotel association of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, Ashotel, endorses the expedited processing of the Vacation Rental Law, emphasising that this sector has turned into a “jungle” that “thrives freely without any urban, economic or quality regulations”, unlike other tourist housing activities that adhere to established standards.
Nevertheless, the association reiterates that, contrary to the belief of some groups, Ashotel does not oppose this activity but strongly advocates for its regulation, which it deems “essential”.
In this context, it suggests that the emergency processing route, as outlined in the parliamentary procedure for legislative initiatives, is “more than warranted” due to the “serious issue” of housing impacting a significant proportion of the population in the Canary Islands, which continues to escalate due to the so-called “effect” of new properties being converted to tourist use on a daily basis, representing holiday housing (VV).
The proposed legislation presents striking figures, highlighting that by July 2024, the number of registered places that had submitted their responsible statement reached 247,551, in contrast to the 194,000 noted in September 2023 when the drafting of this bill was initiated.
“If anyone believes that this 27% increase in just six months does not warrant urgent action, perhaps their interests diverge from the collective interest of the Canary Islands and are more personal or individual,” stated the president of Ashotel, Jorge Marichal.
To illustrate, those nearly 250,000 VV places are equivalent to 500 hotels each accommodating 500 guests (250 rooms).
“We ponder what the repercussions would have been for the Canary Islands socially, economically, and in the media if hoteliers had announced the development of 500 new hotels on the islands,” remarked Marichal, who clarified that “the Canary Islands, given its finite landscape, has limitations.”
Nonetheless, the capacity for tourist accommodations comparable to those 500 hotels is already available in the market, compounded by the fact that these properties have transitioned from the residential sector to tourist use and continue to grow each day.
Conversely, over the last decade, the traditional housing stock has seen a decline of more than 50,000 places, according to data from Istac, due to renewal processes that include bed reductions or even changes in use to VV.
“Does anyone, with common sense, believe we should wait until reaching 300,000 holiday housing places before implementing regulatory measures?” he questioned.
The hotel association fears that if this crucial legislative measure, which “is already overdue,” is not advanced, it may not be passed in this legislative term or that its impacts, such as instituting a holiday moratorium, might be inadequately perceived by citizens.
A DEMANDING TOURIST PRODUCT
Ashotel insists that holiday housing represents a tourist product that holds significant demand and a vital role within the Canary Islands’ offerings, but just like any other tourist product, “it necessitates regulation concerning urban planning, which delineates where it can occur, with applicable limits and timeframes.”
From the association’s perspective, “none of these aspects have been sufficiently addressed thus far, which is why the growth of the supply is occurring indiscriminately via responsible declarations that are not verified by any administration and without any form of oversight, encroaching on residential use in areas where holiday housing and residential properties coexist.”
Furthermore, the law, set to begin its process on March 14, will require some time to implement its effects and to develop its regulatory framework.
In this regard, collaboration from local administrations, municipalities, and councils will be essential to achieve the intended effects, which aim to regulate a tourist product that “is currently operating freely across various types of land and even in rural areas, with some practices of pseudo-accommodations that systematically violate existing regulations.”
Since the Canary Government publicly stated its intention to introduce such legislation in September 2023, the association believes there has been “ample time” for each parliamentary group to clearly express its stance, conduct necessary studies and analyses, and propose relevant suggestions, so that now, in the parliamentary process of the bill, one of the procedures stipulated for its urgency can be invoked, responding to what constitutes a “serious social demand” related to the housing crisis in the Canary Islands.
“At this juncture, one cannot argue that this bill requires, due to its significance, extensive contemplation,” asserts Marichal.
The progression of this process will, from Ashotel’s viewpoint, affect the risk that the Nazca condition “will be compromised and will lack the ability to address the significant challenges at hand.”
