Spain is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world and last year welcomed a record-breaking 94 million tourists.
It’s a particular favourite with Brits, who made up the biggest proportion of visitors in 2024.
Tourism brings a huge amount of revenue to the country – €126 billion last year – but it also comes with a fair share of issues and many Spaniards have had enough.
Those living in some of the biggest holiday hotspots complain of overcrowding, town centres no longer catering for locals, and a lack of housing, especially affordable housing.
Several protests have been held across Spain and the Canary Islands calling for tougher regulation to tackle the issues.
And it seems authorities are listening. A new three-year law was introduced in Malaga this month, which has been dubbed a ‘tourist ban’ by some.
The term is misleading – the law doesn’t ban tourists from anywhere. Instead, it prevents the registration of any new holiday rentals across 43 districts in the area.
The measure, introduced by Malaga City Council and Costa del Sol on January 14 and expected to last beyond the initial three years, aims to stop the rise of holiday-rental properties in the most crowded parts of the city and give locals a better chance of finding long-term lets.
Can tourists book accommodation as normal?
Yes, holidaymakers can book hotels, Airbnbs and other accommodation as normal.
The only existing accommodation that will be affected are holiday flats registered since February 2022 that do not have access and resources separate from those for permanent residents.
These lets will have their licences cancelled, reports the Mirror.
Do other parts of Spain have the same ban?
Similar bans have been introduced in Alicante and Madrid over the past year, and more cities, including Seville are set to follow suit.
Any other new laws in Spain tourists should know about?
If you’re a resident from the UK or another non-EU country and hoping to buy a home in Spain (holiday or permanent) you’ll soon have to pay 100% tax on the property.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the change earlier this month as part of a number of measures to tackle Spain’s housing crisis.
Taxes on holiday lets will also be raised, which could lead to rentals becoming more expensive for holidaymakers.
Meanwhile, a Spanish law introduced late last year, means anyone registering for car hire or a hotel stay will need to provide more detailed personal information than previously (including bank card details, family relationships and home addresses).
The measure aims to make it easier for police to track criminals operating in the country and is not related to tourism, but will affect many of those visiting.
Finally, if you’re heading to Benidorm and hoping to enjoy a midnight dip you’ll be sorely disappointed as a new rule bans people from stepping foot on the beach or going for a swim between 12am and 7am.
Those who are caught doing so will be fined between £650 and £1,020.
Are other countries introducing rules to tackle mass tourism?
Yes, Spain’s not the only nation implementing new rules to deal with mass tourism.
Last year a fee was introduced for day-trippers visiting one of Italy’s most popular cities, Venice.
A limit of 25 people was also put on guided groups touring the UNESCO world heritage site, as well as the nearby islands of Burano and Torcello,
Seoul in South Korea, meanwhile, implemented a tourist curfew in the historic neighbourhood of Buckchon Hanok Village. It limits visitors from accessing some areas between 5pm and 10am each day.
And in Japan a view of Mount Fuji was blocked in an effort to keep badly behaved tourists away.
A black mesh net measuring 2.5 metres high and 20 metres long was erected in the resort town of Fujikawaguchiko
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