Tourism Law in Europe

en ámbitos turísticos” (PIAT)/ intervention plan in tourism areas, supplemented, in its case, by the “planes territoriales insulares”/ insular territorial plans (PTI) 5 . Therefore, in Spanish law, the legal framework is complex, with actions and initiatives at the state, regional and municipal level around vacation rentals, without forgetting European law that sets the main guidelines that also influence tourism. Thus, the report prepared by the European Parliament "A European Agenda for the collaborative economy" 6 was the starting point that confirmed the uncertainties about the regulatory framework of the business that make use of digital platforms, among which are the platforms that mediate in vacation rentals. In short, in the regulation of vacation rentals in Spain there is a multiple presence of public powers: European Union, Spanish State, Autonomous Communities and local entities, which confer a complex character to the regulatory framework. 2. Divergent Concept of Tourist Rental in Spanish Law Currently in Spain different terminology is used to refer to vacation rentals. Thus, we can find that it is called alquiler turístico (tourist rental), arrendamiento vacacional (holiday rental), viviendas vacacionales (holiday homes), viviendas de uso turístico (tourist-use housing), comercialización de estancias turísticas (commercialization of tourist stays), among others. In Spain, until 2013, there was only the concept of “arrendamiento por temporada” (seasonal leasing), with a single concept subject to a state law: Ley 29/1994, de 24 de noviembre, de Arrendamientos Urbanos 7 . However, after the reform introduced by the Ley 4/2013, de 4 de junio, de medidas de flexibilización y fomento del mercado del alquiler de viviendas 8 , the regulation of tourist rental of homes for residential use is the responsibility of the Autonomous Communities, which have mostly approved specific regulations in this regard. 5 Vid. in extenso , J.A Torres Lana, “Alquiler de viviendas para uso turístico” en Plataformas digitales en los alquileres vacacionales, Feliu Álvarez de Sotomayor, S., (Dir.), editorial Reus, Madrid, 2020, pp. 9-30. 6 Communication from the Commissionto the European Parliament, The Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. A European agenda for the collaborative economy (SWD(2016) 184 final. 7 BOE no. 282, 25/11/1994. 8 BOE no. 134, 5/06/2013