Hundreds of owners of holiday accommodation in Malaga are in danger of losing their tourism licences as authorities seek to control the issue of overtourism.
City council laws introduced earlier this year have attempted to limit certain types of tourist accommodation including removing licences from properties that do not have independent access or utility supplies.
In June, Malaga’s mayor Francisco de la Torre announced an instruction from the council’s urban planning department that only those flats with access and utility supplies that are independent from the rest of the building in which they are located can be registered as tourist flats.
The council has given the owners of some flats popular with tourists to the city 10 days to appeal against a decision that could see hundreds of properties in the city lose their licence to host tourists.
The announcement comes on the back of council requests in the summer to annul 1,120 tourist licences for flats that do not meet the criteria, with many owners threatening legal action.
Malaga, like many cities across Spain, has seen several protests against the impact of overtourism which they claim drives up rent prices, increases stress on public services and brings additional levels of antisocial behaviour.
Majorca, Tenerife and Barcelona are just some of the other popular holiday destinations to protest against the impacts of an industry that local economies have become heavily reliant on.
Tourism represents 13 percent of Spanish GDP but this figure is much higher in common tourist destinations.
In the Balearic islands, for example, around 80 percent of people are employed in roles related to tourism.
Malaga has seen an uptick in popularity in recent years, perhaps itself a result of overtourism as travellers seek a less touristy Spanish holiday destination.
Malaga was once a starting point for tourists looking to explore other areas such as the Costa del Sol but has become a popular tourist destination in its own right in recent years.
The city of Picasso’s birth ensures a treat for those wanting to experience the city’s art heritage and culture whilst burgeoning businesses such as the Argentinian BBQ experience allow visitors to experience Malaga in a unique way.
The city’s popularity has led to a surge in Airbnb rentals, which are blamed by tourism protesters for contributing to a rise in house and rent prices.
A recent study by El País newspaper found that several areas of the city had the highest proportion of Airbnb rentals in the whole of Spain.