Fewer tourist lets: regulation should not mean driving investment away

The number of beds in tourist accommodation in Alicante is reported to have fallen by 11.3% over the summer compared with the same period last year. The drop has been linked to the suspension of new permits for tourist apartment blocks. However, the information available does not make clear whether the figure refers to the city or the province, nor does it allow the causes to be assessed precisely.

The first question is what problem the policy is intended to solve, and what results it has achieved. If the aim is to make housing more accessible, reducing the supply of tourist accommodation does not, on its own, prove that more homes become available for residential letting or that prices fall. To justify a restriction, its effects need to be measured and it needs to be explained why the measure is more effective than the alternatives. Without a public evaluation, there is a risk of confusing a visible decision with a proven solution.

The second issue is the cost of treating investment as a suspect activity. A home is also private property and, within the law, its owner should be able to decide how to use it. Rules can set limits and protect neighbours, but they must be clear, proportionate and predictable. Changing the rules or closing the door to new permits affects people starting businesses and may fuel the perception that investing in housing is no longer worthwhile. This cannot be treated as a proven consequence here, but it is a risk that public authorities should consider, not ignore.

There is also a lack of transparency when it comes to assessing the policy. Before celebrating a reduction or presenting it as a failure, comparable data should be published, figures for Alicante city and the province should be distinguished, and the share of the decline attributable to the moratorium should be explained. Governing on the basis of evidence requires more than announcing a figure: it means being accountable for the effects and reviewing measures if they fail to achieve their purpose.

Those calling for limits have a valid concern: pressure from tourism can harm neighbourhood life and make housing harder to access. That problem deserves a response. But protecting residents does not mean assuming that all investment is harmful; it means having balanced rules, evidence and respect for both residents and property owners.