Malaga further tightens rules for all new tourist accommodation.
Málaga continues with sharp cuts in the management of local accommodation capacities. The City Council has passed a decision according to which all future projects – from classic hotels and hostels to tourist apartments and short-term rentals on residential land – must go through a lengthy spatial plan amendment process. Therefore, the aim is to stop the uncontrolled conversion of residential zones for tourist purposes.
End to automatic investor approvals
The days when permits for tourist facilities in residential areas were granted automatically are over. Under the new framework, investors and developers will be required to prove that their project brings wider social benefit. Furthermore, they will have to demonstrate that it aligns with the needs and life of the local community. What particularly introduces legal uncertainty for new projects is the provision for a possible moratorium. All applications submitted after these measures come into effect may be frozen for a period of up to three years. At the same time, currently ongoing processes will be completed under the old rules.
Expansion of restrictions beyond private accommodation
This move represents an evolution of the city's policy, which began two years ago. Malaga already introduced a three-year moratorium on registering new short-term rentals in August 2025 in 43 districts where tourist accommodation exceeded 8% of the total housing stock. The new regulation goes a step further as it no longer targets only platforms like Airbnb. It now places professional hotel operators and serviced apartments under the same restrictive umbrella.
The challenge of overpopulation on the Costa del Sol
Data from the regional government shows that Malaga currently has over 12,000 registered short-term rental properties, equating to around 64,000 beds. The greatest pressure is in the historic centre and coastal neighbourhoods such as La Malagueta and El Palo. While neighbouring Marbella continues to grant new licence requests, Manilva is also implementing a three-year pause. This shows that the entire region Costa del Sol seeks a new model for coexistence between the local population and the tourism business.
