Spain introduces new measures to combat overtourism

Posted On January 27, 2025January 27, 2025

Spain is due to introduce several new measures to combat excessive tourism in the country, following a wave of anti-tourist protests that occurred across Europe in the summer.

Citizens of the Iberian nation have been voicing their concerns on the issue for many years, and have complained that allowing too many tourists into the country has damaged the housing market and depleted the country’s natural resources.

Malaga, located on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, will ban the registration of holiday rentals across the area. This means that anyone looking to rent out their own property will face sanctions to curb the rising number of rental properties in the area. The current tally is said to make up over 8 per cent of residential blocks in some of the most crowded areas of the city.

Properties such as Airbnb’s, hotels and villas in the area that are already registered are unlikely to be affected, but any that have been registered since February 2022 without independent access from residential buildings will have licences revoked.

Other Spanish cities, such as Alicante and the capital, Madrid, have already seen the introduction of similar restrictions, and several others, such as Seville, are expected to follow in their footsteps. The initial ban will last for three years, although this is expected to be extended.

From this year, tourists from the UK will also need to provide additional paperwork for the hire or rental of properties or cars when travelling in Spain. The controversial move was introduced in an effort to track criminal activity in the country.

This will mean that those looking to hire either a property or a vehicle will be required to provide bank details, next of kin information and home addresses, in compliance with these new measures.

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