The number of beds in Malaga’s tourist apartments has exploded to almost triple the number of hotel beds, as Spain grapples with record numbers of tourists and growing social unrest over mass tourism.
The popular Costa del Sol city currently has 35,832 tourist apartment beds, compared to just 13,612 hotel beds, according to a new report from tourism trade group Exceltur, which will increase by 2023. Vacation rentals soared 19.3% over the nine-month period.
This trend is reflected across Spain, with 10 major cities including Malaga, Valencia and Seville now having more tourist apartments than hotel rooms.
Valencia saw the highest growth, with vacation rentals in Valencia jumping 30.2% to 32,961 beds, far eclipsing the number of hotel beds at 20,216.
From January to September 2023, the number of beds in tourist apartments across Spain was 344,397, an annual increase of 17.5%. Meanwhile, the number of hotel beds increased by only 2.9% to 404,914.
This explosion has sparked protests against overtourism and Airbnb-style rentals in several regions, including the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia, the report found.
The findings come as Spain experiences another record tourism year, with 94 million visitors spending an unprecedented €126 billion in 2024.
The tourism sector is expected to generate revenues of over 224 billion euros in 2025, representing a growth rate of 4% and 13.5% of Spain’s GDP.
But industry leaders warn that the unregulated growth of tourist apartments, along with new travel registration requirements and climate-related issues, could threaten future growth.
Spanish tourism authorities are now pinning their hopes on a new digital single window for rentals (digital single window for lease), administered by the Registrar of Estates to curb illegal leave.
The system aims to prevent digital platforms from advertising properties without a proper registration number.
Looking ahead, tourism companies expect sales to rise by 2025, driven by strong demand in Europe and domestically, record numbers in the Canary Islands, and a recovery in pre-pandemic visitor levels from the United States, Latin America and Asia. It is expected to increase by 5.6%.
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The airline is particularly optimistic, predicting a 9.8% increase in revenue despite an additional cost of €235 million due to sustainable fuel requirements.
The industry body has presented a 10-point plan to the government, including approval of a sustainable tourism strategy for 2030 and the creation of a working group to manage tourist flows without resorting to new taxes or hasty regulations. They are calling for emergency measures such as the establishment of a new government.
