Ronda council moves to regulate tourist flats with tough new rules

Ronda town hall has moved to regulate tourist flats in a bid to control a rapidly increasing number of these holiday homes in the Malaga province municipality.

The council approved the decree on Monday where it was revealed that the number of beds in tourist flats throughout Ronda exceed those offered by hotels, being 3,255 and 2,203 respectively, according to town hall data.

The decree was approved by the Partido Popular, which holds a majority, while the Socialists, Con Ronda, IU, Podemos and Más País declined to vote for or against. Socialist spokesperson Fátima Fernández said “the body of the decree is harsh” and it has a negative vision. “They [tourist flats] contribute to the economy and are another option for accommodation when we travel,” she said. She pointed out her group will put forward objections to the decree in the public consultation period. Fran Sancho, of Con Ronda, said his group would also raise issues. Both groups, however, agreed on the need to regulate tourist flats.

Councillor for tourism Ángel Martínez, also municipal spokesman for the Partido Popular, said the aim is to ensure tourist flats are not concentrated in the same areas and that a neighbourhood’s character is not impacted. “I don’t understand why it is said that it has negative wording. The first economic engine of Ronda is tourism and what consolidates it is the treatment of the owners of the accommodation, that’s why tourists return to Ronda. Tourist activity involves promotion, but also planning, and that is what we are doing,” he said.

Mayor María de la Paz Fernández said “not just any old thing should be a tourist dwelling” and that there should be minimum conditions of habitability. “It is a debate that is in any city and we are regulating it,” she added.

The decree will not affect tourist flats that already have a licence. Under the decree, tourist flats must have a minimum of 45 square metres, and those over 60 square metres must have two bathrooms. In buildings where there are residential dwellings, tourist flats must not exceed 20% and be located on the ground or first floor.

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