Interest in renting a property from abroad soared in 2022 and is strengthening in 2023. At the end of the second quarter of this year, a rise of close to 85% in the number of visits to idealista's rental listings compared to the same period in 2019 was confirmed and already represents 12.5% of the total, better than before the pandemic. If we focus on the Spanish coast, foreign interest in renting exceeds 20% in the Balearic Islands, Alicante, Malaga and Santa Cruz de Tenerife provinces.
Foreigners are interested in buying property in Spain, even in small towns. Many also decide to rent in Spain and take the first step from their home country. According to a study conducted by idealista/data, analysing the visits received to the real estate marketplace during June, 12.5% of the total were made from other countries.
This increase was barely 1% compared to the same period last year, but visits in 2022 soared by almost 80% year-on-year. Now, the national trend continues to rise and reaches its highest in the overall number of visits to idealista, improving on last year's figure (12.4%) and exceeding the 2019 figure by more than one point (11.2%) before the pandemic broke out.
The foreign demand for renting a house through idealista is mainly in coastal areas, so we analysed the visits from outside Spain to the rental offer in the coastal provinces. The Balearic Islands (26%), Alicante (25.2%), Malaga (22.8%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (21.4%) are the most attractive regions for foreigners looking to rent, with the highest number of visits from abroad in their market, ahead of Valencia (17.3%), Barcelona (17.2%) and Las Palmas (16.9%). Girona (14.5%) and Almeria (14.3%) are also above the national average.
June 2023 | Interest in renting housing on the Spanish coast from abroad
Demand interest skyrockets ahead of the pandemic and before COVID-19
The evolution of visits from abroad to idealista's rental listings compared to the peak of 2022 has been uneven across the coastal provinces. Despite maintaining volumes above 20%, the four most prominent ones received fewer visits at the end of the second quarter of this year: Balearic Islands (-8.6%), Malaga (-8%), Alicante (-5.1%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (-2.3%). They were outperformed by the drop recorded in Las Palmas (-9.8%), and five other provinces also recorded negative figures, such as Barcelona (2.1%) and Girona (-1.3%).
But in the remaining 15 provinces, the figures for visits from abroad in 2023 are better than the previous year. Highlights include increases in A Coruña (26.9%), Asturias (24.5%), Lugo (22.2%), Murcia (10.5%) and Castellon (10.1%). In Ceuta, interest has doubled in its small rental market.
It is also worth noting the significant increase in demand from abroad compared to the pre-pandemic period. It is clear that, compared to June 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the mobility restrictions implemented are still felt, and the current figures are double those of that time. But it should be stressed that, compared to June 2019, when no one expected a global pandemic, visits to the offer in the rental market on the Spanish coast have grown by more than 50%, doubling in Alicante, Valencia, Castellón, Granada, Lugo, Asturias and Cantabria. Girona has remained the most stable with a 'limited' increase of 31% compared to the pre-pandemic period.
Community of owners to approve new Tourist Licences
Last 3rd of April 2025, Spain’s Horizontal Property Act was amended. This is the law that rules on community of owners in Spain.
Booking removes 4,000 Spain holiday rentals to comply with consumer laws
Booking.com has removed 4,093 tourist accommodation listings in Spain, most of which were in the Canary Islands, following a request from the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and the 2030 Agenda.
Andalusia to create police force to inspect illegal tourist flats
The President of the Andalusian Regional Government, Juanma Moreno, has announced the creation of the "Titan Group," a unit within the national police dedicated to monitoring and inspecting illegal tourist accommodation.
Could holiday rentals disappear in Spain?
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni has announced that the city will withdraw all 10,101 tourist accommodation licences by November 2028. The aim, according to the city council, is to free up homes for residential use and improve access to housing. However, the measure has sparked swift backlash from the sector, which sees it as a blow to a well-established economic model.
Country houses exempt from Spain's new tourist rental register
Rural houses already registered on regional tourism registries are exempt from the new Single Register of Short-Term Rentals starting 1 July. This was confirmed by the Spanish Rural Tourism Association (Asetur) after meetings with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda.
Spain’s new short-term rental registry explained
Spain has introduced a new short-term rental registry to regulate tourist accommodations. Property owners must now register rentals with regional authorities, ensuring compliance with safety and zoning rules. The move aims to improve oversight, combat illegal listings, and protect long-term housing availability for residents.
How does the CPI affect rent updates in Spain in 2025?
Article 18 of the Spanish Urban Leases Act (LAU) outlines, among other provisions, the procedure for updating a property's rent. Although the LAU states that, in the absence of a specified index, the Competitiveness Guarantee Index (IGC in Spanish) will apply, the most commonly used benchmark for rent adjustments is the Consumer Price Index (CPI).