Locals in Spain have expressed a growing sense of discontent towards tourism over the last couple of years, and after widespread protests, a slew of tourist taxes, visitor caps and behavioural regulations have been passed into law across the country’s cities and regions.
The latest comes in the form of yet another clampdown on holiday rentals – this time in the glorious coastal city of Valencia.
The coastal city is a magnet for city breakers, boasting cultural spaces like the Institut Valencià d’Art Modern and the City of Arts and Sciences (CAC), classic food spots like Casa Montaña and La Pépica, and, of course, top-tier beaches.
Valencia’s popularity with tourists, however, has led to rising prices and housing shortages for locals – and now city officials have called time on the proliferation of short-term homes and apartments.
The new rules in question state that holiday rentals cannot exceed more than two percent of available housing in each of the city’s neighbourhoods, and the policy has just been signed off by the City Council of Valencia as part of a series of amendments to the hub’s urban planning standards. It also stipulates that 98 percent of new homes built would be for residential use.
Mayor María José Catalá commended the news, saying that Valencia is ‘a residential city, where homes are for the residents’, but as ever, not everybody is happy.
‘The city’s main tourist accommodation sector, almost twice the number of hotel accommodations, operates in the shadows,’ Francisco Guardeño, representative of the Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of Valencia, said to euronews. ‘And this is the problem that the proposal before us does not solve.’
Keep an eye on our travel news page for updates on this story and info on when the rules are implemented.
🌞 Check out our guide to the best things to do in Valencia.
How to be a better traveller right now
Spain is still welcoming tourism – why not have a look at our favourite under-the-radar Spanish cities? If you’re looking to travel further afield, check out our round-up of the world’s most sustainable tourism destinations, and here’s how to avoid being a terrible tourist in Europe’s most popular cities.
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