British holidaymakers are increasingly avoiding a popular Spanish destination as local authorities impose stricter rules on tourism, new data suggests. Reservations for tourist apartments in the Costa del Sol's capital fell by 37,000 between July and November 2024, according to European Union figures.
The number of stays in such properties dropped to 571,773 during that period, down from 609,277 in the same months of 2023. One British social media user remarked: "Careful what you wish for... though the media made out it was more to do with us Brits then local politics!" Another suggested locals may resent inflated prices and overcrowding driven by tourism.
Tensions have been building in the region. In June last year, more than 15,000 protesters marched through Malaga as part of wider anti-mass-tourism demonstrations across Spain. Banners read "We feel strangers in our own city" and "Malaga is for the people of Malaga, tourism forces us out."
In response, Malaga has introduced restrictions on new short-term rental permits in its most saturated areas, affecting 43 neighbourhoods where tourist accommodation accounts for more than 8% of housing stock. City officials said the move aims to encourage holiday rentals in areas with less tourist pressure while blocking them where pressure is highest.
Carmen Casero, head of the planning department, said: "This is not the end, it is the beginning ... We will continue to do things." Despite the drop in British interest, overall foreign visitors actually rose, with 419,582 recorded in the period, up from 395,679 the previous year.
