A tourist rental expert has insisted such properties are not behind the housing issues in Andalucia.
Juan Cubo, president of the Association of Tourist Homes and Apartments of Andalucía (AVVAPro), made the comments during an interview with Canal Sur Radio.
He said the region’s tourism industry remains on a firm growth path despite ongoing debates about saturation and housing pressures.
Cubo pointed to encouraging figures from the first quarter of the year, traditionally considered low season.
He said the results significantly outperformed previous years, proving that efforts to extend tourism beyond the summer months are paying off for local economies.
Cubo noted that occupancy has risen thanks to a more diverse tourist offer, while last-minute bookings this summer have also kept demand and prices steady. The improvements, while modest, reflect a broader shift away from the sector’s traditional dependence on peak season.
Responding to reports in national and international media that describe Andalucia as an oversaturated destination, Cubo dismissed them as ‘media smear campaigns.’
He warned such claims risk damaging a sector that plays a vital role in the region’s economy.
Drawing comparisons with other high-traffic destinations such as Venice, Cubo stressed that a region of eight million inhabitants spread across multiple cities is not overwhelmed by welcoming 34 million tourists.
While events like San Fermín in Pamplona or the fairs in Malaga and Sevilla draw large crowds, he said, the rest of the year residents and visitors alike enjoy good quality of life.
On the contentious issue of tourist rentals and their alleged impact on housing shortages, Cubo rejected the claim that short-term lets are to blame.
He argued that the real issue is limited housing supply, not holiday apartments. He cited figures showing that holiday rentals account for just 1.7% of the total housing stock, compared with 14% of homes classified as empty by the National Statistics Institute.
In his view, this demonstrates that the role of tourist housing is marginal compared to the broader structural issues.
Cubo further criticised what he called the ‘legal uncertainty’ faced by landlords, blaming it on a ‘failed housing law that leaves owners totally unprotected.’
He also pointed to a lack of new construction in cities where demand is rising, and stressed that many tourist apartments are actually second homes, minimising their effect on the residential market.
For Cubo and the AVVAPro, the data suggests that Andalucia’s tourism sector is not only holding up but evolving, despite mounting scrutiny and the wider social debate about its place in the region’s future.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
