In November 2024, Alicante emerged as the province with the highest number of tourist homes in Spain. The province registers 41,179 properties for touristic purposes.
These findings were released by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and highlight the prominence of the Valencian Community as a key hub for short-term rentals. However, the latest data reveals a national trend of decreasing numbers of tourist accommodations compared to earlier in the year.
Alicante tops the rankings
Alicante’s dominance in the tourist rental sector is clear. With 41,179 tourist homes, it outpaced other Spanish provinces by a considerable margin. Just behind it, Málaga registered 41,039 properties, making the competition for the top spot close. The province of Valencia followed with 16,293 homes, while Castellón had 7,273. Together, the Valencian Community accounted for a substantial 64,745 tourist homes in total, although this figure represented a decrease from the 71,186 recorded in August 2024.
The popularity of tourist homes in the region extends beyond the provincial level. In the city of Valencia, 7,290 tourist homes were registered. Herewith, securing its place as the fourth-largest municipality in terms of tourist accommodation. Similarly, Torrevieja, in Alicante, ranked seventh with 5,140 properties.
A decline in tourist homes nationwide
On a national level, Spain counted 368,295 tourist homes in November 2024, marking a 7.2% decrease compared to August. While this is a notable drop, the number of homes was still 4.8% higher than in February 2024. The data underscores a fluctuation in the tourist housing market, with some regions experiencing reductions in supply while others see steady growth.
Despite the decline in the overall number of tourist properties, the total capacity of these homes was significant. The 368,295 homes offered 1,857,710 places, which was a 6.9% decrease from August but a 6.1% increase from February. On average, each property provided five beds, a consistent figure across the year.
The methodology behind the data
The INE employs web scraping technology to find out how many tourist homes are rented out in each province. They check the three most popular tourist accommodation platforms in Spain. By analysing listings and applying algorithms to eliminate duplicates, the INE compiles a comprehensive view of the country’s tourist home market.
Previously, the data from this experimental statistic was published every six months (in August and February). However, the INE will now release it every three months, making this the first time that data for the month of November has been published.
Stricter regulations
The decline in the number of tourist homes may partly be a result of stricter regulations surrounding the rental of properties for tourist use. Last summer, the Valencian government introduced a new decree to regulate the growing tourist housing sector. Under the law, owners of tourist properties must renew their licenses every five years. Additionally, local councils now have the power to limit the use of such properties in their areas. Furthermore, key boxes in public spaces or communal areas are banned.
Last week, during Fitur 2025 in Madrid, the Costa Blanca towns of Alicante, Elche, Torrevieja, and Benidorm gained new authority to penalise illegal tourist rentals. They signed a pivotal agreement which officially grants these cities the power to impose fines and manage the legal procedures related to illegal tourist accommodations within their jurisdictions.
While tourist homes account for just 1.38% of the total housing stock in Spain, this figure has remained relatively stable since February 2024. In contrast, provinces like Palencia, Álava, and Soria recorded very few tourist homes, with Palencia having just 234.
Also read: Spain loses 28,000 tourist homes in three months