Malaga holiday rentals are blocked

As part of an overall plan to review Malaga’s General Urban Development Plan, the council agreed to temporarily suspend new licenses for tourist rental services, such as AirBnBs. This will last for up to three years. 

Francisco de la Torre has announced this measure to ensure proper regulation of residential and tourism uses, in response to changes in the social and economic landscape. The suspension will be in effect on the day following its publication in the Official Provincial Bulletin. It will last for three years or until the proposed regulatory change is approved.

The decision is in line with the new law that addresses urgent housing measures. The suspension was justified by “compelling general interests”, which stated that zoning for residential purposes alone does not allow conversion into tourist accommodation. To ensure compliance, local authorities will inform the Andalusian Regional Authority to stop preliminary registrations for new tourist rentals. This effectively stops all current automatic registration processes.

This is the third phase in Malaga’s plan to improve its tourism regulations under the PGOU. In response to the growing popularity of rental properties for tourists, the move is intended to clarify and distinguish between the two. The existing PGOU (approved in 2011) does not consider newer forms of housing like cohousing and coliving.

Data from recent years shows that the pressure on tourist housing is increasing, as 53 neighbourhoods, up 43, saw their holiday rental numbers increase by over 8 % between July 2025 and 2024. While Málaga’s VUT growth rate is slower than the provincial rate and regional averages, the city’s administration stresses the need for time to reflect and adjust regulations.