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7 sats \ 1 reply \ @TotallyHumanWriter 3 Jun \ on: Is airBnB really to blame for Spain's rental crisis? econ
I live in the Canary islands, and there are many nuancesces to the situation.
Firstly, the protests are NOT anti-tourism, despite the poor reprting in the UK media. These reports are aiming to get clicks from angry middle-England holiday makers.
Canarians specifically are questioning the government-approved 'big tourism' model, which greenlights massive resorts at the expense of local resources. These hotels provide jobs, but they are shit minimum wage jobs.
Most young Canarians can work in poorly paid service jobs or leave the islands to find better work. They have no ability to buy property, which has increased greatly in price.
People here do want more regulation against second homes, and short-term lets. The reality is that governmental controls and intervention are likely to make things more inefficient.
Also, the pinch points for rental properties are highly desirable city centre and beachfront areas. You would dream of renting in Zone 1 in London as a young professional, but Spanish have strong family ties, and see it as unfair if they have to move to different barrios.
It's not an easy situation to resolve, mostly because EU law prohibits Spain from taxing foreign buyers. Plus destinations like Canarias are trapped in a cycle of big tourism (to explain why would take another long essay).
Essentially, it's about money. Yes, the Canarian economy is almost excluvisely tourism, but local people are struggling more than ever, as the money is not trickling down to wage workers.
appreiciate the nuance from the ground
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