Spain cracks down on holiday rentals with new bans in 43 areas to tackle overtourism
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Spanish authorities are implementing a ban on holiday home rentals in 43 areas in a bid to combat overtourism. Authorities in the Costa del Sol region are prohibiting the registration of any new holiday homes in several popular neighbourhoods in Malaga to counter a mounting housing crisis.
The move comes as a growing number of Spanish cities take action to combat tourists pricing out locals across the nation. According to the latest restrictions that were implemented on January 14, no new tourist accommodation can be registered in 43 most crowded areas of the city, including the historic centre, El Ejido, La Merced and dozens more districts, the Mirror reported.
Local reports reveal there are over 13,000 holiday rentals registered in the region. According to the Mirror, the new limits are thought to remain in place for at least three years but will likely be extended. Spain has implemented a number of provisions designed to curb an oversaturated tourism industry, that’s led to heightened tensions among locals.
It marks a growing trend among visitor hotspots across Europe, such as Italy’s Cinque Terre and Greece’s Santorini, where locals oppose mass tourism. As well as contributing to overpopulated streets and placing a strain on natural landscapes, mass tourism also tends to negatively impact housing, with family homes being sublet as short-term holiday homes. Skyrocketing prices have prompted anti-tourist protests in some regions as locals attempt to reclaim their cities from the throngs of tourists.
