"Greg / Hace 1 day All the self interested bigots who rent out apartments and make housing unaffordable for locals will all be our celebrating. Shame on you self interested idiots."Is this a weak attempt at irony, or do you actually believe this rubbish?

The arguments about rentals/immigrants/tourist tax etc all seem to me to miss the point. Mallorca will never be anything but a major tourist destination as there are too many structural barriers to setting up business here. Tourism should therefore be the only focus and the new minister must look at how Mallorca can capitalise on its natural assets. First, I would look at the season - why is it only 30 weeks? This island needs 52 weeks of solid travel, so airlines, hotels, airport etc need to get this one sorted. Then look at the attractions - biking, hiking, swimming, boating, beaches, food, culture. Set up initiatives to max out the quality and quantity of each of these sub-industries. Only when these are resolved and marketing plans put in place do you look at rentals and tourist saturation. It is quite easy to adjust levels by using price and licences etc. Hotels should all be aiming at better facilities, which equals higher rates and they do not then have to compete with rentals. The rental sector also needs to set some standards of suitability, safety, quality etc. What an opportunity! Unfortunately, politicians the world over seem to be the less talented but greedy individuals in society who migrate towards an easy life.

Richard....Simple small businesses like mine that has been successful for 17 years can't survive, resorts need rentals since all inclusive became the norm I watched bars and restaurants close around me the last couple of years the empty units are reopening due to rentals.

Mr Pearson. That was probably before the all inclusive hotels got a hold In the days when more hotel guests went out for at least one meal and some drinks . The rental sector has helped replace some income lost to AI surely.

Mr Riches, what has that got to do with short term rentals ? The Balearic Islands were just as successful, I would hazard even more successful, before this new rental “industry” even existed.

Jason, and if the person who takes his place is even more virulently against touristic rentals, a distinct possibility, what then ?

Peter, before I answer your post, could you specify what you mean by “immigrants” please.

Richard Pearson (below) - over 60% of the money in the pockets of local inhabitants is generated by the tourists who come to Mallorca. Other than Manacor Pearls and a bit of leatherwork and potatoes from Sa Pobla would you please enlighten me as to major foreign currency-earning ventures on the island?

Yes yes yes best Christmas present ever, now let's get someone with some sense for a tourist minister that is on the side of tourist and the services that rely on tourists in the resorts and just focused on Palma. The inspectors on holiday rentals could still inspect but to issue licences instead of fines !

@greg and Richard Pearson. There's plenty of accommodation for the islands natural inhabitants, but like the UK, amongst other places, they'll never be enough accommodation for the vast amount of immigrants that come here. Neither will there ever be enough work for them all. This has nothing whatsoever to do with holiday rentals, which the inhabitants need to add to the diversity of tourists and increase the island's income. Do you suggest that holiday rentals should be banned just so that more immigrants can come and look for work, if you take a look around you'll see that there's a saturation of immigrants to the island, rather than a satiration of tourists, - again, just like the UK.