The seasonal rentals market in Mallorca continues to grow at a very fast pace, despite the constant announcements of measures that will limit overtourism. According to data from the real estate platform Idealista, the supply of seasonal rentals in Mallorca’s capital, Palma, increased by 23% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to last year, while available properties for long-term rent recorded a marginal increase of 3%.
Although these rentals do not concern illegal short-term tourist accommodations, they are considered to intensify the problem of access to affordable housing for workers and residents of the city, especially for those seeking work in the tourism sector.
These announcements come a few hours after the statement by the Balearic regional government that it is considering banning new tourist rentals and stricter control over the growth of hotel beds, under the pressure of social reactions to overcrowding from tourism.
Long-term housing is decreasing across Spain
Idealista’s data show that in all Spanish cities characterized as “under housing pressure” and applying price controls, the availability of homes for long-term rent continues to decline.
At national level, seasonal rentals—excluding purely tourist accommodations—now represent 27% of the rental market, recording an annual increase of 22%, while the supply of long-term homes decreased by 3%.
The biggest declines in long-term rental availability were recorded in Pamplona (-39%), La Coruña (-33%), San Sebastián (-28%) and Bilbao (-21%). By contrast, Palma was one of the few major cities where a small increase in the total supply of long-term homes was recorded.
Rapid increase in seasonal rentals
Rapid increase in seasonal rentalsThe spread of seasonal rentals is even more intense in several areas of Spain. In La Coruña, supply increased by 188% within one year, while a significant rise was also recorded in Pamplona (+78%), San Sebastián (+67%) and Vitoria (+55%).
Even more striking are the increases in smaller markets where until recently the phenomenon was almost non-existent. In Cáceres, seasonal rentals surged by 221%, in Lugo by 209% and in Ceuta by 160%.
Despite Catalonia’s new legislation to limit short-term rentals, Barcelona continues to have the highest share of seasonal rentals in Spain, as they now correspond to 55% of the city’s total rental market. San Sebastián follows with 49% and Bilbao with 44%.
In Palma, the corresponding share stands at 25%, confirming that the shift of properties from long-term to seasonal rental continues to dramatically reshape the housing market in popular tourist destinations in Spain.
