The Council of Mallorca's tourism department has issued fines totalling 960,000 euros for twelve apartments that were being marketed as holiday rentals in one building in Palma. The properties in the Llevant district of the city didn't have a holiday rental licence. It is in fact impossible to obtain a licence, as the letting of apartments to tourists in Palma is banned and has been for several years.
The fine reflects the new maximum imposed by the Council; this has doubled from 40,000 euros to 80,000 euros per property.
The increase aims to "dissuade people from carrying out this activity and to put an end to it." The Council stressed the importance of "protecting residents and guaranteeing the legal security of all legal offers in the tourism sector".
The tourism councillor, José Marcial Rodríguez, says: "Illegal offers, regardless of the sector in which they operate, represent unfair competition that is very damaging to all those who do things properly - the vast majority - and a terrible problem for coexistence."