Latest news with #Heapy
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Airbnb told to pull 65,000 holiday listings in Spain tourism crackdown
The Government has ordered Airbnb to pull the listing in a bid to reduce the impact of tourism Spain's government has ordered Airbnb to block more than 65,000 holiday listings on its platform over rule violations. The Spanish consumer rights ministry said that many of the 65,935 Airbnb listings it had ordered to be withdrawn did not include their licence number or specify whether the owner was an individual or a company. Others listed numbers did not match official records. Spain is grappling with a housing affordability crisis that has spurred government action against short-term rental companies. In recent months, tens of thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets in protest against rising housing and rental costs, which many say have been driven up by holiday rentals on platforms like Airbnb that have proliferated in cities like Madrid and Barcelona and many other popular tourist destinations. Last year, Barcelona announced a plan to close down all of the 10,000 apartments licensed in the city as short-term rentals by 2028 to safeguard the housing supply for full-time residents. Spain's government said the first round of rentals affected by the order are located across the country, including in the capital Madrid, in Andalusia and also in Catalonia, whose capital is Barcelona. The move comes as Steve Heapy, chief executive of airline and tour operator Jet2, said there is a 'perception' among some people that overseas visitors are not welcome in Spain. Spanish residents in popular destinations have organised a number of demonstrations against tourism in recent years, with banners featuring messages such as 'tourists go home'. The impact of tourism on rental rates is a common theme at the protests. Speaking at an event at the Spanish embassy in London, Mr Heapy said: 'We've had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like 'is Spain safe', 'are we still welcome in the resort'.' He went on: 'It is becoming a big issue unfortunately, and perception becomes truth.' Mr Heapy said 'unlicensed tourism' – such as people staying in private accommodation listed on Airbnb – is 'causing a huge problem' and 'needs to be controlled'. Issues such as uncertainty over visitor numbers, unpaid tourist taxes and properties that 'could be death traps' are among the issues, he said. 'Unfortunately there's been a massive explosion in unlicensed tourism properties.' He went on: 'Airbnb can be controlled. They don't rule the world. They are an online platform that we can control and put legislation in place.' Mr Heapy said if he was a politician he would introduce fines of 'a quarter of a million euros' for Airbnb hosts found not to have the required licences or tax records. Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London, insisted it is 'important to distinguish between specific local tensions and the broader national picture'. He went on: 'The vast majority of Spain remains enthusiastic in welcoming tourists. Where protests have occurred – in cities such as Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Santa Cruz – concerns stem from broader societal issues: housing pressures, rising costs of living, and environmental strain in high-density areas.' He added: 'Spain is taking concrete steps to address these issues – through legislation on short-term rentals, tourism taxes in certain regions, and more comprehensive destination management.' Spain is the most popular overseas destination for people in the UK, with more than 18 million visits last year. Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism Rosario Sanchez Grau said: 'We are proud and grateful that Spain remains the number one holiday destination for UK visitors. 'It is our priority to protect and nurture this relationship for the future.'
ITV News
16-05-2025
- ITV News
Anti-tourism protests descend on European holiday hotspots - where will the disruption be?
A wave of anti-tourism protests are being planned across Europe over the coming month as holidaymakers are warned of a summer of disruption. Last year saw marches across hotspots like Barcelona, Venice, and the Balearic Islands as locals fumed over the impact excessive numbers of visitors have on their homes. The campaigner's main complaint focused on the limited availability of housing for local residents, with rents soaring in many communities. This holiday season, various groups across southern Europe are promising more protests, despite several countries and local authorities in impacted regions introducing measures to limit the worst impacts of excessive tourism. Last week, Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2, warned British holidaymakers were becoming increasingly concerned about the issue. Speaking at an event at the Spanish embassy in London, Mr Heapy said: "We've had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like 'is Spain safe', 'are we still welcome in the resort'." He blamed "unlicensed tourism" for exacerbating the issue, blaming holiday rental companies for putting pressure on local communities. When is the next protest? Across the Canary Islands, protesters will take to the streets on Sunday, with organisers expecting over 100,000 people to be involved. The main protest will take place in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife. Other demonstrations are planned in the major towns on Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura, El Hierro, La Palma, and La Gomera. There will also be protests in mainland Spain, with demonstrations planned across several major cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, and Valencia. The protests on the Canary Islands are being organised by Canarias tiene un límite (The Canary Islands Have A Limit). The group's demand is a shift to a more ecological and sustainable form of tourism that can support local residents, constant construction of major hotels and villa complexes, as well as controls on businesses like Airbnb. They also fear that over-tourism is damaging the biodiversity of the Canary Islands, which is home to numerous unique ecosystems and want to see an ecological tax that will fund efforts to maintain the environment. Are there more protests planned this summer? Campaigners have promised a long summer campaign. Southern European Network Against Touristisation - a network of small protest groups that have the same goal of reducing tourism - held a major conference in Barcelona in April and confirmed it planned a unified protest across numerous countries. The network includes groups from Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal. The next major protest will take place on Sunday June 15, with demonstrations in cities across southern Europe. According to the Spanish news website, The Local, protests have been confirmed in Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, the Canary Islands, Naples, Palermo, Venice and Lisbon. Along with large demonstrations planned in city centres, The Local also report placard protests are planned at airports and famous landmarks. How have governments responded to the protesters' demands? Numerous local and national governments have attempted to appease the protest groups with different policies, but so far, they haven't worked. They have also run up against the powerful tourist businesses that run the hotels and resorts, who don't want to see any measure placing new restrictions on their customers. Tourism makes up over 10% of Spain's economy, but in the country's areas most popular with tourists, like the Canary Islands, it makes up for almost a third of all economic activity. Last year, the town of Mogan in Gran Canaria instituted a €0.15 a day tourism tax, but backlash from the tourism industry led to a judge suspending it a day after it was introduced. It has since been reinstated. Tourism taxes have also been implemented in many hotspots like Barcelona and Venice, with one planned to be introduced in Tenerife next year. In Barcelona, the local government has also taken more action by banning the construction of new hotels and plans to outlaw Airbnb after 2028. The Spanish government also recently introduced a law that made it a requirement for property owners to get consent from the local community if they wish to rent out their property to tourists.
Western Telegraph
07-05-2025
- Western Telegraph
Anti-tourism protests are ‘a big issue' for UK holidaymakers, travel boss warns
Steve Heapy, chief executive of airline and tour operator Jet2, said there is a 'perception' among some people that overseas visitors are not welcome in the country. Spanish residents in popular destinations have organised a number of demonstrations against tourism in recent years, with banners featuring messages such as 'tourists go home'. We've had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like 'is Spain safe', 'are we still welcome in the resort' Steve Heapy, Jet2 The impact of tourism on rental rates is a common theme at the protests. Speaking at an event at the Spanish embassy in London, Mr Heapy said: 'We've had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like 'is Spain safe', 'are we still welcome in the resort'.' He went on: 'It is becoming a big issue unfortunately, and perception becomes truth.' Mr Heapy said 'unlicensed tourism' – such as people staying in private accommodation listed on Airbnb – is 'causing a huge problem' and 'needs to be controlled'. Issues such as uncertainty over visitor numbers, unpaid tourist taxes and properties that 'could be death traps' are among the issues, he said. 'Unfortunately there's been a massive explosion in unlicensed tourism properties.' He went on: 'Airbnb can be controlled. They don't rule the world. 'They are an online platform that we can control and put legislation in place.' We are proud and grateful that Spain remains the number one holiday destination for UK visitors. It is our priority to protect and nurture this relationship for the future Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism Rosario Sanchez Grau Mr Heapy said if he was a politician he would introduce fines of 'a quarter of a million euros' for Airbnb hosts found not to have the required licences or tax records. Manuel Butler, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London, insisted it is 'important to distinguish between specific local tensions and the broader national picture'. He went on: 'The vast majority of Spain remains enthusiastic in welcoming tourists. 'Where protests have occurred – in cities such as Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Santa Cruz – concerns stem from broader societal issues: housing pressures, rising costs of living, and environmental strain in high-density areas.' He added: 'Spain is taking concrete steps to address these issues – through legislation on short-term rentals, tourism taxes in certain regions, and more comprehensive destination management.' Spain is the most popular overseas destination for people in the UK, with more than 18 million visits last year. Spain's Secretary of State for Tourism Rosario Sanchez Grau said: 'We are proud and grateful that Spain remains the number one holiday destination for UK visitors. 'It is our priority to protect and nurture this relationship for the future.'
Evening Standard
07-05-2025
- Evening Standard
Anti-tourism protests are ‘a big issue' for UK holidaymakers, travel boss warns
Speaking at an event at the Spanish embassy in London, Mr Heapy said: 'We've had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like 'is Spain safe', 'are we still welcome in the resort'.'
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New life being brought to large Dayton apartment complex
A large public housing complex is in the middle of a big transformation. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The DeSoto Bass apartments have stood between Germantown and Stewart streets for 80 years and now big changes are visible. TRENDING STORIES: Parents of man killed in police shooting want officer involved off the force 'for good' Woman accused of hitting Ohio Wingstop employee with SUV after argument 'Really remarkable;' Cat survives 3 weeks trapped in sofa during move As shown on News Center 7 at 5:00, some of the large apartment buildings have already been torn down. Another two or three are in the middle of demolition or closed up to be ready. It's all part of the Greater Dayton Premier Management's (GDPM) plan to modernize and improve public housing while keeping it affordable. The public housing agency has worked on this project for 10 years and expects it to take 10 years to complete. 'The influx of already with just those two projects, $30 million in new, affordable housing,' Jennifer Heapy, GDPM CEO, said. Heapy told News Center 7 that the Germantown Crossing is a $16 million development. Then they will build a new 44-unit building at the corner of Germantown Street and Danner Avenue. They will have 94 new units compared to the 84 units they've torn down so far. GDPM is seeking more funding to replace buildings put up in the 1940's. 'We will only be taking additional units offline as we build new units,' Heapy said. 'And again, as we work our way through the development, the families that are living there will have the first opportunity to move into the new units.' [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
