Spain launches massive Airbnb purge: Platform ordered to remove 86,000 illegal listings – Malaga leads the way

SPAIN has ordered the immediate removal of more than 86,000 illegal holiday rentals from digital platforms as a massive nationwide crackdown on unlicensed tourism enters its most aggressive phase.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda issued the ‘kill order’ after identifying 86,275 properties that were being advertised despite having their registration requests denied or revoked.

The move marks the largest single-day delisting in Spanish history and signals the end of the grace period for platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com to comply with strict new housing laws.

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Andalucia is at the forefront of the purge, with the Junta confirming it has already struck 13,037 rentals off its official register.

Malaga province has borne the brunt of the enforcement, accounting for 4,731 of the regional cancellations as local councils begin to use new powers to suspend licences for up to three years.

The Valencian Community has seen 14,387 registration requests revoked, closely followed by the Canary Islands with 13,726 and Cataluña with 13,350.

Together with Andalucia, these ‘Big Four’ regions account for the vast majority of the 86,000 listings now facing deletion.

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Under the new legal framework, neighbours now have the power to veto new tourist flats if a three-fifths majority of the community objects.

The Ministry of Housing highlighted a ‘great anomaly’ in cities like Madrid, where they claim 83 per cent of new applications are being filed as seasonal rentals to bypass the new restrictions.

Officials have warned that these ‘disguised’ rentals, which often target monthly stays to avoid tourist regulations, are now the primary target for a new wave of inspections.

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Despite the crackdown and a recent €64 million fine, industry watchdogs Exceltur claim thousands of unlicensed properties remain active on digital maps.

Data suggests the market is dominated by professional companies rather than individuals, with some ‘hosts’ in major cities managing portfolios of over 200 properties.

The government aims to return at least 53,000 of these properties to the residential market to provide affordable housing for young people and families.

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