The favourite destination for Europeans and Spaniards is to spend New Year´s Eve in Spain. Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Barcelona, Málaga, Madrid and Tenerife are among the most sought-after destinations by both Spaniards themselves and international travellers.
According to the search engine Jetcost, searches for flights for the last night of the year have increased 230% in recent weeks. Meanwhile searches for hotels at the end of the year have risen 180% compared to last year. Moreover, users are spending 70% more time searching for different solutions, budgets and alternative dates to find the offer that best suits their wallet.
Reasons to choose Spain for New Year´s Eve
The reasons for choosing Spain to enjoy the last holidays of the year include its climate, rich culture, customs and festivals. In addition, tourists also point to the gastronomy, flights, hotels and infrastructure, as well as the cheapest prices.
Therefore, according to the search engine, Spain is the most sought-after country to start the year 2023, ahead of Italy, Portugal, France and the UK. Those experiencing the turn of the year can join in the Spanish tradition of eating grapes as the clock countdowns to midnight.
Favourite cities
The data, which analyses the results of searches for flights between 27 December 2022 and 4 January 2023, shows that by far the majority of travellers choose destinations with good weather; cities such as Alicante, Malaga and Seville are among the favourites.
Alicante is the most requested city by British and Dutch travellers, fifth by the French, seventh by Germans, 12th by Italians and 13th by the Portuguese. Málaga is the 2nd most sought-after destination by Dutch travellers, 3rd by the French, 5th by Germans and British, 8th by Italians and 9th by Portuguese; and Seville is the 3rd most sought-after destination by Portuguese, 6th by French and Italians, 10th by British and Dutch and 12th by Germans.
But European tourists are not just looking for nice weather. Big cities like Madrid and Barcelona are also popular to spend the last night of the year. Barcelona is most popular with French and Italian travellers, 2nd with Germans and Portuguese and 4th with British and Dutch. Madrid is number one for Portuguese tourists, 3rd for Italians, 4th for French, 6th for Germans and British and 7th for Dutch.
Islands are also a favourite destination
In terms of islands, the Canary Islands are once again the most sought after by Europeans to welcome the year 2023. Tenerife is the 2nd most sought-after destination by British, French and Italian travellers, 3rd by the Dutch and 4th by Germans and Portuguese. In addition, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are also among the preferences of European tourists.
The Balearic Islands are also among tourists’ favourite destinations: Palma de Mallorca is most visited by German travellers, 5th by Portuguese, 9th by French, 11th by British and Italians and 12th by Dutch. Besides Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca are also highly sought after.
Favourites of Spaniards
For Spaniards, the capitals and major cities of major European countries such as London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Brussels, Prague and Porto, along with other national destinations such as Madrid, Barcelona, Tenerife, Seville, Gran Canaria, Málaga, Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Bilbao are the most sought-after destinations for New Year’s Eve. However, Spaniards wanting to go a little further afield mainly chose New York.
Also read: Spanish festive sweets and treats
