More tourism in the countryside: the new agricultural law will allow up to 10 spaces on each farm.
The Ministry has shared the text with agricultural and professional organizations, which will require the support of Vox or an opposition party.
PalmThe Balearic Islands' countryside could welcome thousands of new tourist spots if the new agricultural law drafted by Minister Joan Simonet's team is approved. The law was shared with agricultural and professional associations before submitting the text to Parliament. Professional farms will be able to have up to 10 spots to accommodate visitors and may also expand existing buildings by up to 20% to carry out this leisure activity. The most important requirement for converting agricultural properties into tourist farms is that they must have been registered for four years and that tourism must be formally considered a complementary activity.
Under current regulations, professional farms were allowed to have six agroestadas, although there was no regulatory development that clearly defined the conditions for this activity. According to a legal source within the administration consulted by ARA Baleares, "the aim is to somehow resolve the previous situation of uncertainty, since the current law allowed for six agroestadas, but did not clarify how they could be launched." It is hoped that the current wording, which clearly establishes the conditions under which farmers can create their tourism offerings, may increase this activity in the island's countryside.
Tourist activities on agricultural holdings may be carried out in the home where a person linked to the farm resides, and also, interchangeably, within other buildings on the farm. The only requirement is that the buildings used for accommodation cannot be outside the urban planning regulations. The maximum capacity of the farm to accommodate tourists will be ten beds, regardless of where they sleep. According to the draft agricultural law, the beds will be tourist beds, will count toward the pool of beds, and must be acquired through legally established procedures.
Tourism model in the countryside
Since his arrival at the Ministry, the Regional Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, has defended the idea that agricultural activity must be profitable for farmers. According to Simonet, the economic viability of farms depends not only on the quality of the products, but also on the farmers' ability to manage, market, and adapt to new technologies. On several occasions, Simonet has stated that the priority for the countryside must be to get out of the red. In this context, promoting tourism would be part of this objective of increasing farm income.
Some organizations, such as the GOB and the Association of Organic Producers (Apaema), have drawn attention at different times during this term to the importance of strictly prioritizing productive activities in the countryside and avoiding the temptation, for example, of filling it with solar panels. However, the regional minister even admitted in a recent interview with ARA Baleares that he did not believe in the "systematic ban on solar panels and chalets".
In addition, the law also aims to simplify bureaucratic processes so that resources reach farms more quickly, encourage the improvement of agricultural infrastructure, promote up-to-date knowledge about management, marketing and new technologies among farmers, and promote the diversification of activities and income. of any opposition party.
