With this measure, the College wishes to curb the growing tourist destination of the area. The measure aims to limit the number of homes rented by rental companies in coastal municipalities. The coastline shall be divided into three parts: In the eight municipalities of Hendaia to Angelu, each Airbnb user, whether business or individual, will be able to put a single home for rent through these platforms. In the following six municipalities there will be a maximum of two dwellings, and in the last ten there will be no limitation.

Apart from putting a stop to mass tourism, this measure aims to combat business monopoly and “unfair competition”. The rule shall be laid down by the College, with the management of such requests being the responsibility of the municipalities.

However, the peoples of the Commonwealth of Iparralde have been working on this measure since last March. They have been working on issues like this for a year; for example, on the first day of January, municipalities receive directly from these tourist tax platforms.

High-demand area

According to the Urban Planning Agency of the Atlantic Pyrenees (PAUA), Iparralde, and especially the coastal towns, attract many people from the French State to be the second home. This demand increases the profitability of the region, which results in an increase in prices. “Those here, especially those of the poorest families and individuals, are seeking refuge,” says the urban planning agency, emphasizing that the most affected by mass tourism are the poor.

The increase in prices also leads to the death of local trade, according to the town planning agency.

Over 9,000 households

Between September 2016 and September 2017 a total of 9,230 housing offers have been published for the company with tax domicile in Ireland, California (USA). Most of them were in the cities of Biarritz, Hendaia, Baiona and Angelu. In Lapurdi, Baja Navarra and Zuberoa the number of rooms offered by the hotels is lower, according to a total of 6,524 PAU.