The Canarian vice-minister of tourism Ricardo Fernandez de la Puente stated recently in a parliamentary debate that the authorities are currently looking closely at the private holiday rental market and hope to find a solution that doesn't damage the quality of the destination. He noted that while short-term holiday rental of properties without a tourist license is common in the Canaries, it not currently covered by law and therefore is technically illegal. De la Puente noted that that it is a growing trend all over the world fuelled by internet booking websites and that the Canarian authorities are studying tourist destinations such as Barcelona, Andalusia and New York in search of a solution. De la Puente compared private holiday rentals to taxis, stating that not everybody who owns a car can run a taxi. He noted that without a licensing system in place dissatisfied tourists have no way of complaining except through the courts. Opposition politicians urged the government to regulate the market. Nationalist Claudina Morales asked the authorities to bear in mind that there is demand for private rentals among visitors to the islands. Fabian Martin, from the PIL coalition, stated that over a million tourists rented from private owners in the Canary Islands last year and that the property owners were all at risk of receiving fines. Socialist Dolores Padrón warned that unless private holiday rentals are regulated they will continue to contribute to the black economy and to undermine employment in the legal economy. Source: Maspalomas Ahora
