Unauthorised accommodation is a major problem in the tourism sector, with consequences that affect the entire supply chain. These activities operate outside the law, ignoring town planning regulations, health and hygiene rules, and tax obligations.
The absence of adequate controls leads to unfair competition with regular facilities, which have to bear high costs to meet the required standards.
From an economic point of view, illegal facilities take valuable resources away from the community, evading taxes and contributions that could be used to improve infrastructure and public services.
Moreover, they compromise the quality of the tourist experience, often offering unsafe or inadequate accommodation, which damages the image of the area in the eyes of visitors. The impact also extends to regular operators, who see their competitiveness diminished due to unfair competition.
From a social point of view, abusive facilities can foster situations of irregular work, with staff who are not adequately trained or not regularly employed. This feeds a cycle of illegality that goes far beyond the tourism sector, contributing to a climate of mistrust and insecurity.
Countering this phenomenon requires the combined efforts of local authorities, trade associations and citizens. Administrations must step up controls, establish effective sanctions and promote
