Aptur explains that it is not obligatory for licensed registration numbers to be published on Airbnb. It argues, therefore, that it cannot be deduced that the properties don't have registration, noting that between 12,000 and 13,000 properties are registered for holiday rental. The association adds that in certain instances owners may have started to market properties while waiting for authorisation to be issued.
It goes on to say that Terraferida is confusing owners with marketing operations (i.e. agencies) which see to the legal renting of properties on behalf of owners, especially those lacking computing or language skills to do so.
While Aptur is right in querying some of the conclusions drawn, not least because some properties since the analysis was performed may now be registered, there is the fact that over 9,500 of the 11,200 or so properties were apartments.
Meanwhile, the secretary of state for tourism, Matilde Asián, said in Tenerife yesterday that she will mediate in regional regulations of holiday rentals in order that these regulations are transparent and provide security for owners, consumers and other citizens.
She met representatives of Aptur its counterpart in the Canaries. These two associations have created a joint front to represent their interests. Asián stressed the need for regulation that ensures tax transparency and consumer protection. There has to be, therefore, product quality and the same rights for consumers as with other accommodation. She also emphasised the importance of national security and of having registers of tenants that are made available to police authorities. This is already the case in Catalonia and Valencia.
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I disagree. Most apartment "blocks" were built for "tourists" who wanted to buy a holiday home to spend their holidays in, and possibly, retire to. They weren´t purchased with the idea of making money from rentals. In the "bad" old days, the only people who made money from that game were the time share con artists.
MelB. While being disturbed by neighbours some nights is not pleasant, it might be worth remembering that, firstly, many people are distirbed at night by neighbours that are not tourists, and secondly, if it wasn't for tourists your apartment block would most probably not have been built in the first place.
How interesting that "other citizens" are mentioned last. If the Secretary of State for tourism had to live in an apartment block where some apartments are holiday let's she might put the rights of ordinary citizens(e.g. the right to a good night's sleep without being disturbed by raucous holidaymakers) slightly higher up the list.