Else Beekman
Every year, millions of British travellers swap grey skies for Spanish sun. But where do they all end up? Thanks to mobile phone data collected by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), we now have a surprisingly detailed answer.
I 2024, just ten municipalities welcomed more than a third (35.89%) of all British tourists coming to Spain. It’s a remarkable concentration, and it paints a clear picture of where UK travellers feel most at home.
The familiar favourites — and a few island gems
It may come as no surprise that Benidorm tops the list. Long a favourite with British holidaymakers, it accounted for 5.6% of all UK visits to Spain last year. Sun, sea and a sense of home-away-from-home continue to draw crowds.
The changing profile of British tourists in Spain
Next comes Adeje, tucked away on Tenerife’s southern coast, with 5.12%. Its neighbouring town, Arona, also makes the top five, proof that the Canary Islands remain a firm favourite. Rounding out the top three is Barcelona (4.91%), where culture and coast meet in one unforgettable city.
Here’s the full top ten:
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Benidorm – 5.6%
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Adeje – 5.12%
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Barcelona – 4.91%
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Arona – 4.61%
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Calvià (Mallorca) – 3.71%
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Tías (Lanzarote) – 2.90%
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Yaiza (Lanzarote) – 2.79%
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San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Gran Canaria) – 2.25%
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Madrid – 2.02%
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Teguise (Lanzarote) – 1.98%
Together, these places form a map of British holiday habits, a blend of beach resorts, island escapes and the occasional city break.
A post-pandemic surge, now levelling out
After the standstill of 2020, when just 3.4 million UK visitors made it to Spain, the rebound has been swift. By 2024, that number had soared to 19.32 million, almost six times higher.
That jump represents an 8.4% increase over the previous year, and cements the UK’s place as Spain’s top international tourism market.
Yet the latest data suggests the breakneck growth is easing. From January to June 2025, the number of British tourists rose by 3.8% compared to the same period in 2024, still growing, but more gently now.
How do we know where tourists go?
Unlike old-fashioned surveys or border counts, this data comes from mobile phone networks. Spain’s three largest providers supply anonymised location data to the INE, showing where visitors go and how long they stay , all without identifying individuals.
It’s a high-tech window into how tourism moves, and it helps paint a fuller, more fluid picture of travel trends.
Looking ahead to London
These insights arrive just ahead of the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, one of the tourism industry’s biggest annual gatherings. For Spanish destinations eager to keep their British visitors coming back, knowing exactly where they’re going and why has never been more valuable.
After all, behind every data point is a traveller searching for sunshine, good food, and maybe a slice of familiarity in a foreign land.
Fewer British tourists choosing Spain in 2025