Andalusia has fired a warning shot across the bows of illegal tourist rentals, with a new tourism law that sharply raises fines and tightens enforcement across the board.
The regional government of Andalusia — known as the Junta, the devolved authority that governs the region — has approved a draft of its new Sustainable Tourism Law, and it comes with serious consequences for anyone running an unregistered or illegal tourist rental (VUT).
Much tougher fines for illegal activity
Under the new framework, the Junta plans a major increase in inspections and a dramatic escalation in sanctions:
- Minor infringements will rise from €2,000 today to a maximum of €10,000.
- Serious infringements will jump to between €10,000 and €100,000 (up from €2,000 to €18,000). Operating any tourist accommodation “clandestinely” will carry a minimum fine of €25,000.
- Very serious infringements — such as obstructing an inspection or providing false information in the mandatory declaration — will be punished with fines ranging from €100,000 to €600,000.
For the first time, the law will also recognise tourist homes as a formal accommodation category equal to hotels, apartments, and other regulated options. With that recognition comes tighter digital monitoring and enforcement designed to improve service quality and reduce friction between residents and visitors.
A wider overhaul of tourism policy
The proposed law introduces several broader changes:
- Sustainability becomes a foundational requirement.
- “Tourism intelligence” using advanced monitoring systems.
- Regulatory simplification, cutting 17 decrees down to six.
- Structured public-private collaboration.
What the law doesn’t include is a tourist tax. Despite pressure from cities like Seville, the Junta argues that local funding challenges shouldn’t be solved by adding more costs for Andalusians, who account for more than a third of all visitors to the region.
Housing politics running in parallel
While this new tourism law begins its parliamentary journey, the Andalusian Parliament is also debating its major Housing Law, focused on boosting supply and improving affordability — another politically sensitive issue tied closely to tourist rental regulation.
