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SPAIN’s ‘golden goose’ tourism sector – which fuels one in eight jobs and more than a tenth of the economy – is about to face a shake-up.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a new plan for managing Spain’s record visitor numbers. This new plan will focus in particular on holiday rentals and the impact they have on housing.
Unveiled at the Turespaña convention in Caceres, the Tourism Strategy 2030 sets out what Sanchez calls a ‘paradigm shift’ – a plan to modernise the industry, protect residents, and ensure the country ‘does not become a victim of its own success’.
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The new Tourist Housing Observatory is at the heart of the strategy. It will map the tourist pressure in each neighbourhood and identify areas where short-term rental homes are driving locals away, driving up the prices.
Officials have said that the guidelines will also be used to guide new rules regarding temporary and season rentals. This is in an effort to stop landlords from rebranding homes for long-term stays as tourist accommodation.
Sanchez said 54,000 illegal holiday apartments have already been removed from booking platforms and pledged ‘continued progress’ on enforcement.
“Tourism can bring life to our cities,” said the Prime Minister, “but cannot empty our neighborhoods of their residents.”
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For many expats – especially those renting out property in hotspots like the Costa del Sol, the Balearics and Valencia – the changes could bring tighter licensing checks, steeper fines and fewer grey areas between national and local regulations.
The government also wants to increase transparency by allowing better data sharing between booking sites and town halls.
Tourism chiefs have been warning of a market that is overheated for a long time. Last year Spain welcomed a record 94 million visitors, who spent more than €126 billion.
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The sector is responsible for 12,3% of GDP, and 13,2% of employment. Sanchez hailed it as an ‘extraordinary success’ but warned that growth cannot come at the cost of liveability.
Over €3.4 billion in public investment has been earmarked to support digitalisation and smarter management.
A new ‘intelligent destination’ data platform will help small and medium-sized businesses make smarter use of visitor data – predicting flows, adjusting prices and managing crowds.
Spain also looks beyond the European Union.
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The government is trying to diversify its revenue sources and lessen its dependence on European demand. It wants to increase long-haul travel from Japan, China, and Latin America while maintaining the core British and German market.
In addition, the strategy aims to promote travel in off-season and fund rural destinations. Arrivals during low season have grown almost three-times faster than those in high season.
Plan calls for more than just a clampdown on rental prices. It also aims to improve the deal for workers and link job quality to destination quality.
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Average pay in hospitality has risen 18% since 2018, while short-term contracts have fallen sharply, but the government admits ‘progress is relative’ and says the goal is to make tourism work year-round rather than just in summer.
The government is also trying to expand tourism beyond the summer season. Off-season arrivals are now growing three times faster than those of the summer.
Spain’s Tourism Strategy 2030 is the strongest sign yet that short-term rentals are coming to an abrupt end. The boom may continue but the days of free-for-all are over.
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