Spain is taking measures to combat overtourism, with visitors to some of its most frequented destinations set to face new restrictions this year. Malaga – a popular destination that is also the capital of the Costa del Sol – is one of those places to have introduced its own restrictions, including a cap on holiday rentals.
This follows similar rules implemented in Alicante and Madrid last year, with Barcelona and Seville expected to follow suit. The move comes as residents express frustration over the tourism boom pricing them out of the housing market.
Malaga has prohibited the registration of holiday rentals across 43 districts, a measure widely referred to as a ‘tourist ban’. However, it’s designed to target those renting out properties rather than those seeking to rent.
The initiative by the Malaga City Council and Costa del Sol aims to halt the increasing number of rental properties appearing in the city’s most congested districts, where rental properties constitute more than 8% of residential blocks in a specific district, reports Cork Beo.
The ban in Malaga city is anticipated to extend beyond its initial three-year term. Can tourists still book Airbnbs and hotels in Spain?
However, tourists will still be able to book accommodation.
You can continue to book Airbnbs, hotels and other accommodations across Malaga and all 43 of its affected districts. This includes the already 13,000 holiday rentals officially registered by Malaga city.
Your favourite holiday resort or Airbnb in Malaga is likely safe. However, tourist flats registered since February 22 that do not have independent access and resources separate from the residential section of buildings will have their licences cancelled.
Unrelated to the suspension of rental property registrations, tourists should expect to provide more detailed personal information (including bank card details, family relationships and home addresses) when registering a car for hire or hotel stay. This measure, which came into effect late last year and received widespread criticism, was introduced by Spain’s interior ministry as an attempt to help police track criminals operating in Spain.