Managing tourist apartments in Palma de Mallorca means operating in a high-demand market under increasingly strict rules. In the Balearic Islands, tourist rental is tightly capped: you need an ETV licence and, in Mallorca, a place from the Consell's quota (bolsa de plazas), and the ecotax applies.
Once you are up and running, the key to a profitable operation is automation: online check-in, automatic guest registration and keyless entry. This guide shows you how to manage your accommodation in Palma de Mallorca while staying compliant and saving hours every week.
Why managing in Palma de Mallorca is more demanding
A property manager in Palma de Mallorca has to keep an eye on several things at once:
- ETV number: the licence code must appear in every listing.
- Quota of places: in Mallorca new ETV registrations depend on available places in the Consell's quota.
- Ecotax (ITS): the Sustainable Tourism Tax is charged per guest and night.
- Guest registration: submission of the form to SES.Hospedajes from the first booking.
With high turnover and tight oversight, automating check-in and guest registration isn't a luxury — it's the only way to manage several units without mistakes or missed deadlines.
Automatic check-in in Palma de Mallorca, step by step
Automatic check-in means the guest completes the whole arrival process online, from their phone, before reaching the property. Here's how it works with Gotocheck in a Palma de Mallorca apartment:
After booking, they automatically get a link by email or WhatsApp in their language. No app to install.
The system reads the ID, passport or residence card with OCR and captures the guest data required by RD 933/2021. The guest signs digitally.
Gotocheck reports the guest form automatically to the national SES.Hospedajes system, within the legal deadline and without you copying anything.
During check-in you can automatically charge any applicable tourist tax and, if you wish, a deposit or extras via secure online payment.
Once check-in is completed and verified, the guest receives the smart-lock code or entry instructions. Self check-in 24/7, no waiting and no trips.
Automate your tourist apartments in Palma de Mallorca
Online check-in, SES.Hospedajes, tourist tax and virtual keys on a single platform.
Try 15 days free →Guest registration in Palma de Mallorca: SES.Hospedajes
Since December 2024, Royal Decree 933/2021 requires every accommodation in Spain to report the guest registration form to the national SES.Hospedajes system of the Ministry of the Interior. In the Balearic Islands there is no additional regional police registry, so the obligation is met with a single submission to SES.Hospedajes.
Doing it by hand — asking the guest for the document, copying the data into the portal and submitting it on time — is tedious and error-prone. With digital check-in, the data is captured once and sent automatically within the legal deadline.
Virtual keys and self check-in
In a city with as much turnover as Palma de Mallorca, handing over keys in person to every guest is unworkable. Virtual keys and smart locks enable autonomous entry:
- Unique access codes per booking that expire at the end of the stay.
- The code is delivered only when check-in is complete and verified.
- No trips, no waiting and no risk of lost key copies.
What Gotocheck automates in your Palma de Mallorca apartments
Guest data and documents captured with OCR, in their language, before arrival.
Automatic on-time submission of the guest form, with no manual data entry.
Automatic calculation and charging based on guests and nights.
Per-booking access codes for autonomous 24/7 entry.
Reminders and welcome messages by email and WhatsApp.
Integration with Airbnb, Booking, Vrbo and your channel manager.
The ecotax in Palma de Mallorca
The Balearic Islands do apply the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS), known as the ecotax: a fixed amount per guest and night that varies by season and accommodation type, which the guest pays and the host collects.
Charging it by hand for every booking is unworkable. With a charging system built into check-in, the ecotax is calculated and collected automatically, and you keep the records for your settlement.
Frequently asked questions about tourist management in Palma de Mallorca
Is automatic check-in legal in Palma de Mallorca?
Yes, it is completely legal and it actually makes compliance easier. The guest completes their details online before arrival and the system sends them automatically to SES.Hospedajes within the legal deadline.
Where are guests registered for a tourist apartment in Palma de Mallorca?
In the national SES.Hospedajes system of the Ministry of the Interior, mandatory since December 2024 under RD 933/2021. the Balearic Islands has no additional regional police registry.
Is there a tourist tax in Palma de Mallorca?
Yes. The Balearic Islands apply the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ecotax), a fixed amount per guest and night. It can be calculated and charged automatically during check-in.
Do I need a licence to manage a tourist apartment in Palma de Mallorca?
You need an ETV licence (Law 8/2012) and, in Mallorca, a place from the Consell de Mallorca quota. The ETV number must appear in your listings.
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Do you manage tourist apartments in Palma de Mallorca?
Gotocheck automates check-in, guest registration, the tourist tax and keys so you stay compliant without spending time on it.