Another Spanish city brings in new laws that will impact Brit tourists

City Council has introduced a major crackdown on Airbnb-style rentals.

Under the new rule announced this week, the number of tourist apartments in each of the city's 108 neighbourhoods cannot exceed 10% of total homes. Areas already oversaturated with tourists, such as Triana and the historic centre, will not be granted any further licences. The measure, supported by right-wing party Vox, was passed despite opposition from the left-wing coalition.

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party argued that the rules should be "tougher and more ambitious", claiming that 23,000 more tourist accommodations could still be granted in non-saturated areas.

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However, Urban Planning delegate Juan de la Rosa hailed the measure as a "further step" towards making tourism more compatible with local life, acknowledging the industry's significant contribution to Seville's economy, accounting for 25 per cent of the city's GDP.

This move follows a recent outcry from owners in Barcelona, who demanded €1 billion (£830m) in compensation after the city council revoked licences for over 10,000 tourist apartments. The mayor of Barcelona dropped a bombshell in June, announcing a clampdown on tourist flats by November 2028, in a controversial move to tackle the city's housing crisis.

Rent in the Catalan capital has skyrocketed over 70 per cent in just ten years, with many pointing fingers at short-term holiday lets for inflating costs. Protestors who've had it up to here with mass tourism argue that these rentals snatch away precious living space and jack up the prices, pushing residents out, reports .

Landlords, however, are branding the new legislation as a slapdash "populist" measure that'll slash into the earnings of honest folks and sidestep the housing shortage's core issues. Meanwhile, the ignited protests against mass tourism on April 20, with hordes of people across the isles pouring their hearts out on the streets over tourism's toll on their lives.

This wave of discontent has since seen other cities like Barcelona and Majorca play host to similar uproars against the influx of vacationers.

One of the key issues raised by residents in areas of multiple short-term rental properties is that they are facing difficulties with finding housing. Back in June, announced that it would be banning short-term rental properties, starting from November 2028.

The decision came after there were locals in the city were being priced-out of housing available. Barcelona will stop issuing new licenses and will not renew existing ones after November 2028. This means that from 2029 onwards, no homes will be permitted to be rented out as tourist accommodation.