Airbnb reaches out to governments of Spain Balearic holiday islands after court annuls fine for marketing unregistered holiday apartments

“GOOD PARTNER”: The company said it wants to work with the islands’ administrations on “innovative solutions” to challenges CREDIT: publicdomainpics.net Petr Kratochvil

ONLINE marketplace Airbnb has reached out to the Balearic Island administrations after the regional High Court annulled a €300,000 fine for advertising unregistered holiday homes and apartment in the archipelago.

The Balearic Government imposed the fine on the platform two years ago on the grounds of marketing accommodation not registered with its Ministry of Innovation, Research and Tourism.

A statement on the Airbnb website noted the regional court’s reasoning was to a great extent based on a recent decision by the European Court of Justice on a case brought by the AHTOP French hoteliers’ association.

This it said “made it clear that Airbnb should be regulated as a society information service and not as a property agency.”

The statement continued, “we consider the decision of the Balearic High Court to be a positive step for our continued collaboration with the governments and cities of the islands of Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

“Airbnb has never questioned that it should be subject to regulation. The cities on the islands can and should have their own rules,” the statement adds, affirming, “at Airbnb we work in order that these are clear and appropriate to the current reality, allowing citizens to share their homes and to directly benefit from tourism revenues.”

The platform’s Spain and Portugal marketing services director general Monica Casañas insisted Airbnb wants to be “a good partner” and to work with the regional and individual island governments and local councils “on innovative solutions to the challenges of the different island communities.”

She also defended the company view that “sharing your own home is good for the people who live in them.

“Airbnb’s commitment is long-term and continuous, and without being perfect, the company continues learning, and its hope is to have solid relationships with the governments in the Balearic Islands,” Casañas ended.

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Cathy Elelman

Cathy Elelman is the local writer for the Costa de Almeria edition of the Euro Weekly News.

Based in Mojacar for the last 21 years, Cathy is very much part of the local community and is always well and truly up on all the latest news and events going on in this region of Spain.

Her top goals are to do the best job she can informing the local English-speaking community, visitors to the area and the wider world about about the news in Almeria, to learn something new every day, and to embrace very new challenge this fast-changing world brings her way.

Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments