Tuesday, January 28, 2025 Spain introduces revolutionary tourism policies to tackle overtourism, protect local communities, and enforce stricter rules on short-term rentals for sustainability. Spain has introduced a set of stringent measures aimed at addressing the challenges of overtourism, a move that has sparked significant discussions worldwide. Although labeled as the “Spain tourist ban,” these regulations do not entirely ban holiday rentals.
Instead, they focus on implementing strategic restrictions to mitigate the adverse impacts of excessive tourism on local communities. The newly introduced measures are a direct response to growing discontent among residents in heavily visited areas, including Barcelona, Mallorca, and the Canary Islands. Locals in these regions have voiced concerns over surging rents, housing shortages, environmental degradation, and the erosion of cultural heritage.
Much of this unrest is attributed to the proliferation of short-term holiday rentals and an influx of tourists. Starting January 14, 2025, Malaga will impose a three-year moratorium on issuing new short-term holiday rental licenses in 43 districts where these rentals account for over 8% of residential properties. Furthermore, beginning February 22, 2025, existing tourist flats in Malaga that lack independent access separate from residential spaces will have their licenses rescinded.
Travelers planning to visit Spain may need to reevaluate their accommodation options. Prime Minister P.