Is Spain introducing a tourist ban for UK visitors? What new rules mean for your holiday

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The move follows a wave of anti-tourist protests that has spread across the country and other European destinations over the past 12 months.

The term "tourist ban" has been used to describe new regulations, but visitors will still be permitted to enter the country. Nevertheless, these changes might require British residents to adjust their holiday arrangements.

Similar destinations such as Barcelona, Mallorca and Tenerife are also arriving in Malaga this year, which is situated in the country's Costa del Sol region.

As housing prices and rental fees continue to become prohibitively expensive for them.

The Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, stated: "It is unfair that individuals owning three, four or five short-term rental properties pay a lower rate of tax compared to hotels and ordinary workers."

It is crucial that the governing body prioritises the residential function of housing, and ensure that non-residential uses – such as speculative or short-term tourist lets – do not continue to increase unchecked, to the detriment of local residents.

For the next three years, new short-term lets will not be permitted in any of Malaga's 43 districts, mirroring regulations in place in other parts of Spain.

What do these plans mean for UK tourists?

Tourists will still be able to book hotels, rented rooms through Airbnb, and flats as they normally would.

The only current types of accommodation set to be impacted are holiday flats that have been registered since 22 February 2024 and do not have separate entrances and utility facilities from those for permanent residents. It's stated that the licences for these types of lets will be cancelled.

This change could have significant implications for Airbnb's popular "private room" option, often used by tourists as a fully separate area within the property's owner's house.

The changes come with a country-wide law which was introduced last year, requiring anyone booking a hotel stay or car hire to provide more personal details than was needed prior.

What additional steps are the Spanish authorities taking to deter tourism?

Following in the footsteps of other tourist hotspots in Spain, such as Alicante and Madrid, Malaga has now introduced a ban.

ouncil officials in Seville are planning to impose charges on visitors wanting to enter the famous Plaza de España square.

In Barcelona, short-term rental properties will be outlawed from 2028. Meanwhile, other tourist hotspots have implemented new restrictions: in Mallorca, there is a limit on the number of cruise ships that are permitted to dock at the port, and Tenerife has introduced a cap on non-resident visitors to its national parks.

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