UK still leads Spanish tourism figures

Spain once again breaks its tourist spending record in September, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

Foreign visitors contributed 11,2 billion euro, which represents a growth of 16.9% compared to the best figure recorded in the same month of 2019, and 22.6% more compared to 2022. In addition, during the first nine months of 2023, Spending has increased by 24.0% compared to 2022, totalling 84,6 billion euro.

The number of tourists continues to grow with a total of 8,823,80, which is 13.6% more than in September 2022. The cumulative figure for the first nine months of the year shows a clear recovery in the sector, with a growth of 18.8% compared to the same period in 2022. So far this year, 66,529,407 tourists have chosen Spain.

The average expenditure per traveller and the average stay, two data that illustrate higher quality tourism and focus the policy efforts of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, also offer encouraging figures. Each tourist has spent an average of 1,271 euro, 7.9% more than last year and 16.9% more than in 2019. Spending per day also reflects this growth, reaching 185 euro, 21% more than in 2019.

“We celebrate these data in the context of the informal ministerial meeting that we as EU Presidency have just held in Palma and in which Spain has consolidated its leadership to make tourism an engine of sustainable economic momentum throughout the continent,” highlighted the acting Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Héctor Gómez.

The head of Tourism has also pointed out that “Spain does not only count the number of tourists”, but also takes into account other indicators, such as overnight stays, average spending or environmental impact to “launch balanced policies committed to the growth of everything.”

In fact, the total number of overnight stays made in September by international tourists in all types of accommodation (hotels, apartments, own home, rented home…) is close to 60.5 million, with an increase of 12.7%.

USA, the fastest growing market

The United Kingdom continues to lead the list of tourist-sending countries in September, with 1,951,066 tourists, an increase of 8.7% compared to September 2022.

Germany and France, in that order, are the next countries with the most tourists visiting Spain. Germany brings 1,296,095 visitors, 13.5% more than in September of last year. France, for its part, has provided 969,683 tourists to Spain, 5.9% more than in September 2022.

Among the rest of the countries of residence, the strong year-on-year growth in tourists from the United States stands out, with 27.4% more arrivals than in the same month last year. The 430,220 travellers from the US reward the ministry’s policy efforts to attract long-range markets, whose stays tend to be longer and, therefore, their spending as well.

Main destinations

The Balearic Islands are the first destination chosen by tourists in September, with 23.4% of the total. They are followed by Catalonia (20.7%) and Andalusia (14.9%).

2.1 million tourists arrived in the Balearic Islands, 8.7% more than in September 2022. The number of tourists who visited Catalonia increased by 11.1% and stood at over 1.8 million. The third main destination community by number of tourists is Andalusia, with more than 1.3 million and an annual increase of 19.1%.

In the accumulated of the first nine months of 2023, the communities that receive the most tourists are Catalonia (with almost 14.2 million and an increase of 22.2% compared to the same period in 2022), Illes Balears (with almost 12.6 million and an increase of 8.6%) and the Canary Islands (with almost 10.0 million, 14.1% more).

In terms of spending, in the accumulated until September the communities that benefited the most are Catalonia (with 19.5% of the total), Illes Balears (18.3%) and the Canary Islands (17.2%).

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