Spain’s tourism sector continues to thrive as international tourists have spent more than €71 billion in the country during the first seven months of 2024, reflecting an 18.6% increase compared to the same period last year.
According to data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE), over 53.4 million international visitors travelled to Spain from January to July, marking a 12% rise from 2023.
July alone saw 10.9 million international tourists visiting Spain, representing a 7.3% increase compared to the same month last year. These visitors contributed a significant €15.5 billion to the economy in July, up by 11.9% from the previous year.
A positive trend for Spain’s economy
Jordi Hereu, Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism, highlighted the importance of this growth, stating, “The significant increase in spending by international travellers visiting our country confirms that tourism, thanks to the effort and work of everyone, continues to drive the nation’s economy, generating wealth and employment in the sector.”
The detailed breakdown of tourist spending in July shows improvements across key metrics such as average spending per traveller and daily expenditure, alongside the average length of stay. Each visitor spent an average of €1,432, which is a 4.3% increase from last year, while daily spending rose by 2.1%, reaching €195. The average stay for tourists ranged from four to seven nights.
UK, France, and Germany lead in visitor numbers
As usual, the UK remained the top source of international tourists in July, with 2 million visitors, marking a 2.5% increase from July 2023. France followed with 1.6 million visitors, a 3.4% rise, and Germany ranked third with 1.2 million tourists, reflecting a 6.5% year-on-year increase.
Significantly, the strongest growth in visitor numbers came from Asia, with an 11.5% increase, and the United States, which saw an 11.3% rise compared to the same month last year.
In terms of tourist spending, UK nationals led the way, spending €2.8 billion in June, a 10.27% increase. German tourists followed, with €1.7 billion spent in Spain, reflecting a 16.74% growth, making Germany the country with the highest spending increase in July. French tourists ranked third, contributing €1.5 billion, up by 1.4%.
Balearic Islands and Catalonia top tourist destinations
The Balearic Islands were the most popular destination for international tourists in July, accounting for 23.4% of all visitors. Catalonia followed closely with 22.1%, and the Valencian Community attracted 13.6% of the total tourists.
The number of tourists visiting the Balearic Islands increased by 4.3% compared to July 2023. Catalonia saw a 3.7% rise, and the Valencian Community experienced a 10.8% increase in visitor numbers.
From January to July 2024, Catalonia led with 11.5 million tourists, a 10.5% increase from the previous year. The Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands both welcomed 8.7 million tourists, with growth rates of 7.0% and 10.3%, respectively.
Tourist spending also rises in key regions
In July, the Balearic Islands accounted for 24.4% of total tourist spending, followed by Catalonia with 20.1% and the Valencian Community with 13.3%. The Balearic Islands saw a 16.2% annual increase in spending, while Catalonia and the Valencian Community recorded increases of 2.1% and 20.1%, respectively.
For the first seven months of 2024, Catalonia led in total tourist spending with 18.9% of the share, followed by the Canary Islands at 18.3%, and the Balearic Islands at 15.6%.
Spain targets record numbers of international tourists in 2023