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Spanish city of Palma to ban holiday rental apartments

The city of Palma is a tourist hotspot: neufal54 / Pixabay
The city of Palma is a tourist hotspot: neufal54 / Pixabay

The Spanish city of Palma is planning to ban the owners of flats from renting out their apartments to tourists.

On the island of Majorca, it is to become the first Spanish city to launch such a prohibition.

It comes after residents complained of rising rents caused by flats being let out via website and apps.

Palma mayor Antoni Noguera said his government will vote for the ban at city council.

Mr Noguera said he will back the ban because "there is nothing worse than having residents who can't live in their city nor afford a rent".

Rents in Palma are said to have increased by as much as 40 per cent since 2013.

Many residents and local politicians blame the price rise on internet sites and apps that allow travellers to rent apartments short-term directly from homeowners.

Mr Noguera said that houses will be excluded from the ban, unless they are in protected areas, near airports or in industrial areas.

José Hila, Palma's chief of urban planning, said: "There is a parallel between the evolution of vacation rentals and the rise in rental prices.

"All European cities are being transformed overnight by this type of offer. We need some order. There will be vacation rental in Palma, but only where there needs to be."

Palma Airport is one of the busiest in Europe, with just under 28 million passengers in 2017.