The employers' association of tourist homes criticises the government of the Consell de Ibiza for imposing zero growth on their sector. It also warns that there are no means of inspection to combat illegal supply, which they estimate may currently be around 20,000 places on the island.
It should be remembered that the Tourist Planning Commission has approved the maximum limit of holiday homes in the 20,500 beds currently legalised and has created a new exchange, which requires that in order to register a place, one of the existing ones will have to be cancelled.
The president of the association, José Antonio Llano, makes it clear that they are "in favour of imposing a maximum ceiling" but considers the measure agreed to be "too restrictive". He says the ceiling should be "around 27,000 places". He says that some homeowners "who comply with the regulations should be given the opportunity to legalise these establishments".
Llano says that they are the first to call for an attack on the illegal offer, but stresses that the means of inspections that exist in Ibiza "cannot cope with this unfair competition." Although many figures are being bandied about, the president of the employers' association says that there may currently be a number very similar to the number of regularised places "that are being marketed irregularly."
On the other hand he stresses that holiday homes help to distribute wealth "because clients consume more than those who stay in hotels".
Jornadas sobre seguridad
The employers' association of holiday homes is holding a conference on safety this Thursday to inform all business owners in the sector that as of 1 July they are obliged to keep a record book of each client, as is done in hotels. Llano, recognises that adapting to the regulations will be more "laborious" for his sector, because they do not have the same means as hotel establishments, although he sees this measure as "positive".
The conference will be attended by the Acting State Director of the Insular State, Neus Mateu, and by the heads of the security forces to address other problems that, according to Llano, are of concern to the sector "such as internet scams, which continue to proliferate, or burglaries in homes".
On the other hand, the president of the employers' association affirms that the start of the season has been positive "with occupancy percentages in May, similar to last season".
Llano says that his sector is "less aware" of the effects of the recovery of other destinations such as Turkey and Croatia.
FUENTE: RADIO IBIZA, 6 JUNIO 2018
