Benidorm is the only municipality in Alicante that requests the authorities to inspect tourist apartments

On March 31st, the Benidorm City Council approved its participation in the framework agreement signed on December 13th by the Generalitat Valenciana (Generalitat Valenciana), through the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, and the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP), to assume the delegation of powers to inspect and sanction tourist accommodation in the city. To date, it is the only municipality in the province that has requested this from the Ministry.

At the moment, there are only four applications. Valencia City, Benidorm, Faura, and La Font d’En Carròs have only 6 and 35 registered tourist lodgings, respectively. And this despite the fact that, at the last edition of Fitur, in January, the President of the Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, signed a manifesto between the Generalitat and the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP), which also included Alicante, Torrevieja, and Elche.

This transfer of authorities enables municipalities with local police forces to monitor and resolve disciplinary cases involving tourist accommodation. This entails collecting up to €600,000 per irregular residence in the most egregious situations, which may be a financial lifeline for municipalities.

The fundamental issue with this plan is that the Valencian Government only has 11 inspectors who can execute these functions (4 in Alicante, 4 in Valencia, and 3 in Castellón). Municipalities, through their local police forces, can conduct inspections and punishments and collect the corresponding fines.

In accordance with the time period, “the adhesion agreements will be valid for an initial five years, with the possibility of extension for another five years, and may be terminated by either party upon thirty days’ written notice.”

The Generalitat (Generalitat), which has previously set clear and severe legislation in this regard, sees this as a “key tool for improving the organisation of the tourism sector in the Valencian Community, and contributing to more effective management aligned with public interests.”

In the case of Benidorm, Councillor Lourdes Caselles stated at the municipal plenary session that “the City Council must compile a quarterly report on the complaints filed, the procedures initiated, their resolution and whether or not they result in disciplinary action, and any fines imposed that are paid into the municipal coffers.”

Similarly, in order to carry out this function in better conditions, the Councillor for Urban Planning has explained that the Department of Architecture “is working on an ordinance to regulate tourist housing and to provide security and strengthen this type of tourist accommodation as long as the regulations are complied with” and, in turn, has recalled that the City Council will reinforce the Local Police force, with the announcement of 20 positions, so that “there