Malaga Imposes Three-Year Ban on New Tourist Accommodation

Malaga City Council has approved a three-year moratorium on new hotels, tourist apartment blocks, and other tourist accommodation developments on residential land. This measure, expected to take effect next week after publication in the Official Gazette, represents the latest effort by the city to address housing pressures attributed to tourism.

The new restrictions apply specifically to land designated for residential use. Commercial land will remain unaffected by the new rules. This decision follows an earlier three-year suspension of new tourist rental licences, which was introduced in August 2025. That previous measure stopped registrations for new short-term rental properties in areas where tourist accommodation surpassed eight per cent of the total housing stock.

According to the city council, Malaga currently offers approximately 9,600 tourist apartment beds and around 14,000 hotel beds. Licensed short-term rentals contribute over 64,000 beds across the city. Projects that had already submitted planning applications prior to the formal approval of this moratorium will still be permitted to proceed. City officials noted an increase in such applications following the initial announcement of the proposed restrictions.

Further reforms also tighten regulations for converting commercial premises into residential properties. While these conversions will continue to be allowed, they are prohibited from being used for tourist accommodation. Such converted properties must also meet new habitability requirements and will not be permitted on principal streets or public squares.

For property owners and visitors, these new rules mean that the supply of new tourist accommodation on residential land in Malaga will be restricted for the next three years.