The Council of Mallorca says that, from June 23, Airbnb will require any new short-term rental listing in Mallorca that is advertised on its website to display a registration number. The system will only accept registrations and licence numbers with a pre-established format; it will not allow listings that do not include a valid code recognised by the authorities. This will facilitate inspections and prevent fraud, the Council adding that it will be impossible for a short-term listing without a registration number to be listed on Airbnb.
For short-term rentals, read holiday lets, which are already supposed to only be advertised if they are registered. The Council suggests it has now obtained collaboration with Airbnb to finally try and ensure this.
Nevertheless, there is also to be a "protocol for notification and deactivation of listings". This mechanism will directly inform Airbnb of listings that violate regulations, thus expediting their removal from the platform. With this, the Council aims to reduce response times and improve the effectiveness of inspections and sanctions procedures.
Airbnb, for its part, will be launching an information campaign for its 'hosts' on the island, focusing on the new legal requirements arising from the European regulatory framework.
"Tourism must be compatible with the quality of life of residents, the protection of the territory, and current regulations. This agreement with Airbnb is a firm step in that direction," said the Council's president, Llorenç Galmés, after the signing of the agreement with the CEO of Airbnb Marketing Services, S.L., Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago, on Friday.
Valuing the alliance with the Council, Rodríguez de Santiago said: "This agreement is key to implementing the new European framework on short-term rentals and demonstrates Airbnb's commitment to collaborating with local authorities in the transition toward more responsible tourism."
The arrangement is along the same lines as ones that Airbnb already has with the Council of Ibiza and with the regional governments in the Canaries and Murcia.