Canary Islands Parliament Passes Vacation Rental Law
Tourism and Employment Minister Jéssica de León says the new Canary Islands vacation‑rental law “starts a path” to regulate and balance the sector.
The Canary Islands’ Minister of Tourism and Employment, Jéssica de León, announced on Wednesday that “today we begin a path toward planning, management, ordering and urban‑disciplinary control” following the approval of the vacation‑rental law.
“Understanding that the right to housing and its social function—rights by 2.2 million Canary Islanders—must be balanced with an economic activity that has come to stay and that we defend, but with order, moderation and territorial balance,” she explained.
De León emphasized that the regulation aims to reconcile the legitimate exercise of vacation rentals with the general interest. The law tackles issues the public has asked to be debated, such as territorial limits and quantitative/qualitative caps that previously did not exist for this tourism modality.
“For the first time, the Canary Islands will have a law that regulates vacation rentals, after ten years of a decree that lacked clear rules for owners, administrations, municipalities, island councils and the regional government,” she added.
The minister clarified that small‑scale owners who comply with the current decree may continue their activity normally and called on all vacation‑rental owners to keep their activities properly classified.
“It is a necessary procedure within the legal framework, but fully manageable by the municipalities of our autonomous community. Complying with this process guarantees that operators can continue their activity with full legal certainty and also reinforces transparency and professionalism in the sector. With this, we move together toward a more sustainable, responsible and coexistence‑friendly tourism model in the Canary Islands,” she stressed.
Key figures
- 44.6 % of vacation rentals are owned by individuals.
- 55.3 % of the rentals and 55.5 % of the rental units are managed by foreign entities or owners, not by local small‑scale owners.
Future restrictions
De León reminded that no new vacation rentals may be established for five years until municipalities adopt explicit municipal planning that authorizes them. Local councils will decide how, where, when and how many vacation rentals are allowed in their territories, ensuring that these decisions do not affect residents’ quality of life.
Under the new legislation:
- 90 % of housing units must be used for residential purposes.
- Only 10 % may be designated for vacation use.
- Municipalities have six months to launch the corresponding inspection plan.