Last week, Enjoy Apartments signed what they consider “a great way of improving and professionalizing the sector” (red. Ralph Taal – Director of Enjoy Apartments). With that progress, Enjoy Apartments intends to move again a step forward with her Barcelona short-stay apartments rental division. We asked a couple of questions about this to Ralph Taal.
So, what is it?
“Well,” – Ralph Taal says -, ” in a nutshell the signed code of ethics is a set of general norms to which all associates will compromise. The main aspects of it in a few lines are – at an internal level – to respect regulations set by local authorities, to respect one another between associates, to repect the environment, no discrimination and equalty of opportunities. In regards to the public, or customers, this means the ensuring of data protection of the customers and pure clarity in the rental contracts they sign. Apart from this it states that Apartur members respect their competitors and will not shed negative light on others.”
Will this actually benefit the customer?
“Yes, I think it is absolutely crucial to implement some general norms and this is a big step in the good direction.” Taal answers.
Isn’t Barcelona under pressure lately by its inhabitants that aren’t so very excited with the massification of tourism in the city and in
particular tourists renting short-stay apartments? So, what about those locals? Do they have any benefit of this?
“Absolutely! – Taal replies directly – “The compromise with the society was already an aspect handled by the Apartur before, but even more now this code is intending to cover it. All associates of Apartur wish to professionalize the tourist rental apartment sector in Barcelona.
Unfortunately in Barcelona still there are many illegal apartments (red. tourist apartments in Barcelona must have a local permit that many do not have). We are the first ones interested in identifying these apartments and close them down as they are damaging our sector. Because most of them are not managed in a professional way, this may lead no non-resolved neighbor complaints but also lack of responsibility in several other fields such as being duly registered, customer protection programs, paying stay taxes and so on.”
What are the next steps and / or consequences of this signing?
“We aim for a sustainable tourism, that means that tourism in tourist apartments should be a pleasant experience for the customers, and also for owners and/managers and last but not least for the local population.” – and Taal continues – ” Until everyone is fully satisfied we will not rest and keep on working to improve all facets of this type of tourism.”
Ok, thank you very much Mr. Taal
“My pleasure.”
Enjoy Apartments is in continuous collaboration and contact with Apartur in order to brainstorm and improve the tourist rental market in Barcelona. You can contact Enjoy Apartments for more information or updates in this aspect.