Menorca Ramps Up the Fight Against Illegal Holiday Rentals

The project

The rise of digital platforms has sparked the emergence of thousands of unregulated holiday rental listings. This phenomenon, far from being a marginal issue, directly impacts access to housing, urban balance and life for the local population. In response, Menorca is launching a two-year pilot project to strengthen the inspection of holiday rentals and curb illegal supply.

This initiative, launched by the Island Council with €1.8 million of funding from the ITS fund, covers a range of measures: acquiring specialised software to track listings, aerial imaging flights, new job posts for experts and inspectors, and upgraded operational equipment. Public awareness campaigns are also included.

The plan continues work already undertaken by the Council tourism planning department, but which until now had faced technical limitations and staff shortages. Improvements to the IDE Menorca map viewer and the inclusion of new urban and cartographic data will allow for more efficient inspection, even in rural and protected areas where this activity is more difficult to track.

This plan also provides for the comprehensive evaluation of the results achieved. If the expected benefits are achieved, the Council will bear the costs of continuing with the project. The fight against unlawful practice in the tourism industry is thus established as a structural policy, upholding the model of the island as a Biosphere Reserve and a more equitable and sustainable local economy.