Travel agencies proposing more restrictive rentals criteria

The association believes that regulation of holiday rentals has been driven by "unreal data" in that the Balearics have experienced a tourism bubble in recent years because of insecurity in competitor destinations. Levels of tourism have not been real and will "deflate" as these other destinations return to normal.

Although Aviba has "no direct interest in the marketing" of rental accommodation, it considers that its proposals will be an improvement on what has been proposed and "will benefit the majority of the population". With regard to zoning and a revitalisation of inland villages, Aviba thinks this could be damaging. By increasing tourism in certain areas, a loss of identity could result. "Moreover, there will be higher rents for residents and there could be property investment exclusively for tourists."

Above all, the association argues that the "generalised introduction" of private tourist accommodation and the zoning proposed by the Council "will not serve to maintain this type of accommodation within acceptable limits for Majorca as a society and as a tourist destination".

It is therefore proposing that criteria for apartment buildings are more restrictive than for houses and villas and that there should be greater restriction in "saturated" areas than in others. With the sixty-day per annum limits for rentals in saturated areas, it also suggests that July and August should be excluded in order to avoid pressure and to therefore allow coastal areas to be "unsaturated" all year round.