Valencia strikes 18,000 tourist rentals from Official Register in first year of new rules
Tourism authorities begin further cleanup phases as the 2024 decree reshapes the region’s fast-growing holiday-rental market.
The Generalitat Valenciana, through the Regional Department of Tourism, has removed a total of 18,304 tourist rental homes, known as “viviendas de uso turístico (VUT)“, from the Comunidad Valenciana’s Tourism Register in 2025 for failing to meet the requirements of the new regulations, including missing property-registry references and taxpayer IDs, among other issues. These are properties that do not comply with the provisions of Decree-Law 9/2024, which revised the rules governing tourist accommodation and was approved in August 2024.
In addition, the Regional Department of Tourism is currently working on two more cleanup phases that together affect nearly 14,500 additional properties. The first phase targets 11,029 tourist rentals, where authorities will review the validity of their Urban Compatibility Reports for Tourist Use (ICUS). The second will focus on another 3,394 properties with duplicate property-registry references.
Marián Cano, Regional Minister for Industry, Tourism, Innovation and Trade, revealed these figures on Thursday during the Christmas event of the Alicante Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Association (APHA). She praised the results of this first year under Decree-Law 9/2024, which regulates tourist rentals across the region.
Addressing the province’s accommodation sector, Cano stressed that “the regulation, which marked its first anniversary this past August, has brought about a deep transformation in one of the most dynamic and significant segments of our tourism economy.” She added that the new framework is helping ensure this year’s tourism growth follows “a sustainable, coordinated model that protects the environment and maintains a high-quality destination while preventing overcrowding.”
During APHA’s traditional holiday gathering, Cano also presented the association’s 2025 Excellence Award, which this year went to MSC Cruises. She congratulated the recipient for its contribution to Alicante’s economic and tourism momentum and for its key role in expanding cruise tourism in the province.
In her remarks, the minister highlighted the “excellence, innovation and commitment” of the tourism business community, emphasizing that the hotel and accommodation sector “is strategic for the growth and competitiveness of the Comunidad Valenciana.”
She also praised the strong rise in cruise tourism, which last year brought more than 235,000 passengers to Alicante and generated over 65 million euros in economic impact, reinforcing the city’s ambition to consolidate its position as a Mediterranean home port.
Finally, Cano thanked APHA and the broader sector for helping make Alicante “one of the most competitive destinations in Spain and Europe” and reaffirmed the regional government’s commitment to a tourism model grounded in quality, sustainability and innovation.
