The Council of Mallorca's tourism department announced on Friday that it has imposed fines totalling €300,000 on a building in the Llevant district of Palma where several properties were operating as illegal holiday rentals.
Tourism inspectors have concluded the relevant sanctioning procedures after what the department describes as "extensive work". A year ago, the department imposed another fine on a different building in the Llevant district. In that case, the amount was much higher: almost one million euros, divided into twelve fines of €80,000 each for the illegally marketed properties, all belonging to the same owner.
The Council says "almost all" of the sanctioned properties have ceased their illegal activity, the tourism councillor, José Marcial Rodríguez, stating that the results "clearly demonstrate" the effectiveness of the fines as a deterrent to offenders.
"Illegal activity, regardless of the sector in which it operates, represents unfair competition that is very damaging to all those who do things properly - the vast majority - but also a problem for community life, something we want to combat." Rodríguez emphasised the internal reorganization of the island's tourism department, which has enabled it to become more efficient in the fight against illegal rentals.