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Britons turn backs on Spanish hotspot amid rise in 'tourist ban' and local protests

‘Classy people are not going to go to Tenerife!’ Boozy British holidaymakers slammed

GB News
Holly Bishop

By Holly Bishop


Published: 17/02/2025

- 09:53

From July to November 2024, bookings for tourist apartments in Costa del Sol's capital city fell by 37,000

Tourist apartment bookings in Malaga have plummeted by 37,000 stays between July and November 2024, amid growing tensions over mass tourism in the popular Spanish resort city.

The latest figures from the Tourist Apartment Occupancy Survey show that 571,773 holidaymakers stayed in tourist apartments during this period, down from 609,277 in the same months of 2023.



The significant drop comes as the city grapples with concerns about over-tourism and its impact on local residents.

These statistics only reflect licensed properties, with unregulated rentals potentially accounting for up to 40 per cent of all tourist accommodations in Malaga, according to Spanish government estimates.

Protest Malaga

The drop comes amid growing tensions over mass tourism in the popular Spanish resort city

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In striking contrast, international tourism to Malaga showed strong growth during this period, with overseas visitors increasing to 419,582 from 395,679 the previous year, as reported in the Olive Press.

However, domestic tourism saw a sharp decline, with Spanish holidaymakers dropping from 213,598 to just 152,192.

Experts from Malaga's College of Economists have attributed the overall decline to falling domestic demand and a decrease in available holiday accommodation.

The total number of registered apartments also declined significantly in 2024, dropping by 11,441 units, raising concerns about a potential rise in illicit rentals.

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MalagaLocals say they are being forced out of their own neighbourhoods as properties are being converted to accommodation for visitorsGetty

The tensions came to a head in June 2024 when more than 15,000 protestors took to the streets of Malaga, following a series of anti-mass-tourism demonstrations across Spain.

Demonstrators carried banners with messages including "We feel strangers in our own city" and "Malaga is for the people of Malaga, tourism forces us out."

The protests highlighted growing concerns about the impact of tourism on local communities, with residents worried about housing availability and cultural preservation.

Local authorities responded to these concerns by implementing new measures, including warnings in English and Spanish for tourists to "dress completely" in public spaces.

Tourists go home

There have been a series of anti-mass-tourism demonstrations across Spain

Getty

In response to these concerns, Malaga has implemented a clampdown on new short-term lease permissions in its most "tourist-saturated" zones, affecting 43 neighbourhoods where tourist accommodations exceed 8 per cent of the housing stock.

The measure aims to promote tourist flats "in neighbourhoods with less tourist pressure and are blocked in those where there is a greater number of tourist accommodations," according to city officials.

Carmen Casero, head of the planning department, emphasised the ongoing nature of these measures, stating: "This is not the end, it is the beginning ... We will continue to do things."

The new restrictions, introduced last month, are expected to last beyond their initial three-year term.