"We can’t talk of reducing legal holiday rentals without getting rid of illegal ones first"

How would you describe the current situation of illegal tourism in Mallorca?

Since our arrival, we’ve initiated a four-pronged plan: agreements with digital platforms, restructuring the inspection and sanctioning service, collaborating with local councils and coordinating with the Tax Agency. We’ve split inspection into two teams: one controls potentially illegal conduct by legal rentals, while the other focuses solely on unregulated supply.

What role has sustainable tourism tax played in this plan?

It’s been key. Thanks to this tax, we have €4 million of funding for 2025, 2026 and 2027. These funds have allowed us to reinforce the team with 10 more inspectors—taking us to 30 overall, as well as more legal and administrative experts and an IT specialist. We’ve also modernised our work with tablets, software and programmes to speed up fines. In addition, fines have been doubled to up to €80,000. All this is needed because we’ve detected that 35–40% of ads on platforms are actually illegal offers.

What concrete progress have you made with platforms and other institutions?

The first big step was our agreement with Airbnb: from 15 October, ads that are not in our database will no longer be shown. With the Tax Agency, we cross-check information so that the records are properly documented and can withstand any appeal. Also, through Palma Town Council we’ve already started working together with the local police. The aim is to extend this model to all other municipalities.

What’s the core objective of the plan?

To remove illegal supply from the market. We do this in several ways: by removing ads, improving administrative efficiency, and collaborating with local councils and the Tax Agency. Our aim is to send a clear message of deterrence: they can no longer run wild. Only by getting rid of unlicensed rentals will we be able to improve the legal supply and demand higher quality from it, which will allow for better segmentation of the market and attract more responsible tourism.

Why’s it so important to combat illegal supply?

Because it distorts everything. Most of today’s social problems are blamed on tourism: housing, land consumption, mobility... and a large part of this negative perception comes from unlicensed supply. Mallorca doesn’t have a demand problem, but a supply management problem. By eradicating illegal rentals, we can manage the legal ones, achieve greater harmony between residents and tourists, and protect the island as both a place to live and a tourist destination.

What difficulties are there in practice?

There are lots. Detection has improved greatly, but administrative procedures are lengthy. That's why we’ve introduced measures such as immediately cutting off illegal activity. Another challenge is that those who operate illegally are very quick: they change their opening hours to avoid controls. Now, it’s not so easy for them because we track platforms every month. We’ve also merged services that were previously separate, making us quicker and more efficient.

This summer, there was talk of 3,000 planned inspections. How’s the plan going?

It’s underway. The effort is focused 80% on illegal supply and 20% on legal supply. We have more and more units under the radar and more staff to take action. The priority is to be effective and send a clear message: no more tolerating fraud.

What role do local councils and citizens play in this control?

Citizens are key: we’ve launched a campaign with the message ‘the best way to protect our culture is not to rent illegally’. We have a call centre that receives more than a thousand calls a month and we pass these complaints on to our inspectors. We’re working with local councils to ensure cooperation from local police, especially in checking that cease and desist orders are complied with, and to apply penalty payments if this is not the case. If we need to, we can even turn to prosecution for failure to comply.

How do you imagine tourism in Mallorca in ten years' time?

I see a balance between tourism and residential life. Let’s not forget that Mallorca’s population has grown by 46% since 2000, and will only continue to grow. That means more strain, but also more opportunities. I’d like to see a model where tourism continues to be a social elevator, but within a sustainable and diversified framework, with industries such as technology gaining influence. The future lies in managing coexistence well and using tourism as a springboard to improve the islands’ economy as a whole.