Spain breaks historic record with over 12.8 million cruise passengers in 2024

Record-breaking year for Spanish cruise tourism

by Lorraine Williamson
cruise passengers visiting Spain

Tourism in Spain continues to thrive, with the cruise sector setting new records in 2024. The number of cruise passengers arriving at Spanish ports increased by 6.7% compared to 2023, reaching a historic high of 12.8 million.

In total, 4,700 cruise ships docked at Spanish ports in 2024. That´s 200 more than the previous year. Combined with regular ferry services, total passenger traffic in Spain reached 40.8 million, marking a 4% increase over 2023. Of this total, 28 million travelled on regular ferry lines, while 12.8 million were cruise passengers.

The previous record, set in 2023 with just over 12 million passengers and 4,500 ships, has now been surpassed. These figures also exceed pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019, reflecting a strong recovery in the tourism sector.

Monthly growth highlights

December 2024 saw more than 2.7 million passengers travelling via scheduled routes and cruises—a 9.4% rise compared to December 2023. Of these, 1.8 million used regular transport routes (up 3.4%), while 914,468 passengers arrived on cruise ships, representing a significant 23.6% increase. In total, 371 ships called at Spanish ports during December, 76 more than in the same month of 2023.

Spain’s busiest ports in 2024

Barcelona remained the top destination for cruise passengers, welcoming 3.6 million visitors—a 2.4% increase from 2023. The Balearic Islands followed with 2.5 million passengers, although this represented a slight 0.8% decline.

Other major ports included Las Palmas, which saw a substantial 23.7% increase, reaching 1.8 million passengers, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which welcomed 1.3 million passengers, a 19% rise compared to 2023.

Cruise ship arrivals by port

Barcelona also led in the number of cruise ship arrivals, with 791 ships docking in 2024—a slight 1.6% decrease from the previous year. The Balearic Islands followed closely with 774 arrivals, marking a 2.1% increase. Las Palmas hosted 735 ships, reflecting a 15% growth, while Santa Cruz de Tenerife saw 590 ships—a 10.3% rise.

A positive outlook for Spanish tourism

The consistent growth in cruise tourism highlights Spain’s appeal as a top destination. With major ports continuing to attract millions of visitors, the country’s tourism sector shows strong signs of sustained recovery and expansion.

Also read: Sustainable cruise ships in ports of Barcelona and Cadiz

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