Spain has long been one of the favourite tourist destinations for British travellers, but recent figures show a notable change in this trend.
According to data from Turespaña and used by Europa Press, between January and November of this year, Spain received more than 20 million British passengers, which represents a 5% decrease compared to the same period in 2019. This translates to a loss of 1.05 million British tourists.
In the first eleven months of 2019, Spain welcomed 21.1 million Brits, accounting for 24% of the total of 88.4 million international passengers. However, in 2023, this proportion decreased to 22.7% of the total.
A gradual recovery
Although the number of British visitors has decreased compared to 2019, it is important to note that this represents an increase of 15.5% compared to the same period in 2022 when Spain received 18.8 million British tourists.
Compared to other prominent nationalities, tourism from Italy and France has managed to surpass pre-pandemic figures, with growth of 10% and 5.4%, respectively. However, the number of German tourists arriving in Spain in the first eleven months of 2023 was 9% lower than in the same period in 2019.
Other countries show an increase in tourism
Despite the decline in British tourism, Spain has seen an increase in the number of tourists from other countries. Visitors from the Netherlands (+5.6%), Switzerland (+1%), Portugal (+24%), and Ireland (+16.7%) are above 2019 levels in the first eleven months of the year. In the case of the United States, the number of passengers is 8.2% lower than pre-pandemic levels.
A boost for tourism season extension
The Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, considers the increase in the number of travellers outside the high season as great news for the extension of the tourism season in Spain. Furthermore, there is diversification of destinations, and an increase in the number of tourists in autonomous regions outside the summer months.
Also read: Spain is favourite destination of international tourists this summer
This situation emphasises the importance of adapting to changing tourism trends and diversifying offerings to attract visitors of different nationalities at different times of the year.
