This municipality in the Canary Islands has more holiday rentals than hotel rooms


  • 19-01-2025
  • Business
  • Canarian Weekly
  • Photo Credit: CW
This municipality in the Canary Islands has more holiday rentals than hotel rooms

Las Palmas, in Gran Canaria, is among ten major Spanish cities where holiday rental properties now outnumber hotel rooms. According to a study by the Spanish tourism association Exceltur, the city has 9,778 holiday let beds compared to 6,413 hotel beds, a gap that continues to grow.

The study highlights that the holiday rental sector in the city grew by 830 units (9.3%) last year, while the number of hotel rooms decreased by 72 (1.1%).

This trend positions Las Palmas as the ninth city in Spain with the highest number of holiday rental beds, following Madrid (74,755), Barcelona (54,071), Málaga (35,832), Valencia (32,961), Seville (31,843), Alicante (17,049), Granada (14,761), and Córdoba (10,526).

Of Spain's 25 leading cities, the number of holiday rental beds is increasing in all but two—Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca—where they fell by 11% and 10% respectively in 2024.

Growing Concerns About Holiday Rentals

Exceltur’s report raises concerns about the rapid conversion of residential properties into tourist accommodation, often without adhering to regulations. The organisation says that this trend has significantly increased tourism pressure and affected public perceptions of tourism throughout 2024.

While local and regional governments have introduced measures to regulate holiday rentals and strengthen inspection mechanisms, Exceltur calls for further legislative tools to ensure compliance. The group praised the recent implementation of the Real Decreto de Ventanilla Única Digital de Arrendamientos, the official digital portal for rentals, which requires platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com to verify that advertised holiday rental properties have a registered legal number allowing holiday lets.

Impact on Locals in Las Palmas

The municipal government of Las Palmas announced this week that it has completed a study requesting the Canarian government to declare the entire city a "stressed area" under Spain’s Housing Law. This designation aims to stabilise rental prices in response to soaring demand for holiday accommodation.

Between 2020 and October 2024, the number of tourist apartments in the city more than doubled, rising from 2,050 to 4,716. This increase has been particularly impactful in neighbourhoods such as Puerto-Santa Catalina, La Isleta, Guanarteme, Vegueta, and Triana, where holiday rentals now outnumber residential homes.

As the popularity of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria grows among tourists, the city faces the dual challenge of accommodating visitors while ensuring housing affordability and availability for residents.

 

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