Almuñécar is looking into bringing out a municipal bylaw concerning holiday-flat rentals in order balance this accommodation out with hotel occupation.

The Councillor for Tourism, Rafael Caballero, explained that the Asociación de Hoteleros de la Costa has made its concerns known on the matter and how illegal holiday lets are not paying tax.

The Chairman for the association, Jesús Megías suggests that holiday-flat owners should obtain a fiscal licence in order to rent them out; thus increasing safety and fair competition.

The Almuñécar hotel sector employs over a thousand personnel during the high season to which should be added indirect employment; agencies, suppliers, etc. The Chairman pointed out that holiday lets do not generate much employment. In fact, Almuñécar has around 5,000 of the 7,200 hotel beds on the coast.

Almuñécar is not the only Town Hall on the coast that has been contacted by Sr. Megías, either; he has been further afield along the Málaga coast, as well as Granada City Hall.

The hostelry association calculates that there are 700 holiday-let apartments on the Costa Tropical, of which 80% are illegal, which is why they think that something should be done now before it gets worse.

Motril, on the other hand, is not planning on doing anything about this situation – they’ve contacted their hotels, who don’t appear to be concerned.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)