Targeting illegal tourism

HOSPITALITY businesses are coming together to ask the Government to target illegal tourist accommodation on the Costa Blanca.

The Hospitality Business Association in Benidorm and the Costa Blanca (Hosbec) and the Federation of Real Estate in Valencia (Feprova) and the Association of Real Estate in the Province of Alicante (Provia) have agreed to adopt a common position and ask for support from the Government and the region’s municipalities in eliminating the underground economy in the tourist industry of privately renting out accommodation that is not registered or declared.

Both sectors require rental owners to ‘meet all their tax obligations and minimum conditions for civic responsibility and licences.’ They added it is a priority for all aspects of security, public order and police regulations to be met, including a registration of visitors.

Hosbec said “in the spirit of the hotel industry we do not want to ban anything, but to regulate and facilitate legality and compliance.”