Staging your Vacation Rental: Increase Bookings and Revenue in your Spanish Holiday Home

Tourist accommodation in Spain has become far more complex. The Catalan government has introduced several new restrictions relating to holiday rentals, which are causing confusion and concern among many property owners. Added to the fact that many short-term rental properties on Airbnb struggle to secure bookings (especially when starting out) you have a sector in crisis. Below, we review the new regulations, both in Barcelona and across the rest of Spain. Plus, we explain how home staging helps property owners in Catalonia get started faster, increase occupancy and achieve higher prices.

At national level, all Spanish tourist accommodation must have a Unique Rental Registration Number (NRUA). Without this registration, it is not possible to operate or advertise on booking platforms such as Airbnb or Booking.com. Reports indicate that following the introduction of this requirement, around 65,000 illegal Airbnb listings were removed, and a further 55,000 listings without a registration number were reported.

From 2026 onwards, it is also mandatory to submit an annual information return with data from the previous year’s rental activity. For each registered property, the following must be declared:

• The purpose of the temporary letting (for example, tourist, holiday, work-related, study, etc.).
• The number of guests who stayed in the property.
• The check-in and check-out dates for each stay.

As if this were not enough, in April 2025 further legislation was introduced allowing homeowners’ associations to limit or prohibit the tourist use of apartments by a three-fifths majority vote. Where tourist use is permitted, the association may apply additional charges to owners who let their properties for tourist purposes.

Over the past year, there have been numerous protests against tourism in Barcelona. Residents and workers in the city believe that the number of vacation rentals has caused a critical shortage in the residential rental market. They also blame tourism for the spike in rent prices over recent years. In response, Barcelona City Council has announced several new restrictions aimed at eliminating tourist rentals in the city by 2028.

The new restrictions are as follows:

• No new licences for tourist use dwellings (VUTs) are being granted.
• Existing licences will not be renewed when they expire.
• Frequent inspections are carried out, with potentially high fines.
• The tourist tax (IEET) applies, along with an increasingly high municipal surcharge.

Property owners and associations in the tourism sector have refused to accept this policy without protest. They have already lodged legal challenges with the Court of Justice of the European Union. They argue that the withdrawal of licences infringes rights or amounts to a form of expropriation without adequate compensation. It is also possible that, if the governing coalition changes after the 2027 municipal elections, parts of this policy may be reviewed, softened or even reversed depending on priorities in housing and tourism. For this reason, it will be important to stay informed.

Although the rules in the rest of Catalonia are not as restrictive as those in Barcelona, it is important to be aware of several regional developments:

• Licences for tourist use dwellings (VUTs) are no longer indefinite. They are now valid for five years and must be renewed.
• In municipalities with high housing pressure, there is a maximum limit on the number of tourist apartments.
• Seasonal rentals are more closely monitored and, if not properly justified, may be classified as residential rentals.
• National regulations also apply (NRUA, annual information return, and restrictions imposed by homeowners’ associations).

Some owners may think that after so much legislation and so many restrictions, competition will decrease, making it easier to attract guests and even raise rental prices. To some extent this is true. But it is important to recognise that owners who comply with stricter regulations tend to be more business-focused. As a result, the overall quality level of properties that remain on the market will continue to rise. Therefore, if you want to increase bookings and revenue from your holiday rental, you will need to stand out from the crowd.

Decorating a tourist rental involves far more than just a bed, a bedside table and a lamp. However, you might be surprised by how many owners, including professional investors, believe that nothing more is required. Then they’re surprised when bookings are hard to come by and reviews are less than glowing. With competition at such a high level in Catalonia, the bare minimum is simply not enough.

You have only a few seconds to capture a potential guest’s attention before they move on to another listing. If your property does not stand out immediately, they will keep scrolling. A poor first impression not only costs you bookings. It also affects your Airbnb ranking, making it less likely that future guests will even see your listing.

If you are preparing to launch your holiday rental property, speed is everything. Every moment spent organising renovations, furniture orders, cleaning and so on is time during which your property could be generating income. In this sector, time is literally money. Even if your property has already been on the market for some time, an occupancy rate below 50% (the average in Barcelona is 54.7%) still means lost revenue.

You don’t need an interior designer to prepare your holiday rental. You need a home staging professional: a real estate marketing technique that uses marketing strategies and human psychology to convert more views into bookings. It is not just about aesthetics. Home staging is designed to highlight strengths, improve flow, and communicate an unforgettable experience to potential guests.

Owners and investors who succeed on Airbnb are not lucky; they work with intent. They invest in home staging to prepare and present their property, not because it looks “nice”, but because it increases bookings, reduces complaints and protects income. They know that listing a property without home staging and professional photography is the equivalent of leaving thousands of euros on the table.

Home staging professionals assess each property to identify its strengths and weaknesses, create a tailored plan and manage everything. From sourcing and purchasing furniture and accessories, to the final presentation and professional photography. First impressions matter: make your property stand out on booking platforms and increase occupancy with confidence.

The best time to do home staging for your tourist accommodation is before you advertise it. The second-best time is now. Whether you are just starting out or have been on the market for a while and want to improve your positioning on booking platforms, home staging is for you.