In the first half of 2023, Spain welcomed 37.5 million visitors, a figure below pre pandemic levels when the same period brought in 38.1 million travelers. Yet 2024 shows a strong rebound in tourism despite social tensions in high-demand areas, with 42.5 million arrivals, 11.5 percent higher than 2019 and 13.28 percent higher than the previous year, according to data published this week by the National Statistics Institute of Spain, INE.
Tourism is not only recovering; it is regaining the momentum seen before the pandemic, while total spending climbs to 55.5737 billion euros, up 20.6 percent from last year and 38 percent above 2019. If this linear pattern continues, the year could close with around 96 million visitors and a total expenditure near 131 billion euros. Industry insiders, however, anticipate some moderation in the second half, which would imply growth slowing but not a return to declines, simply a slower pace of expansion.
As usual, the United Kingdom remained the leading country of residence for visitors to Spain, with 8.4 million travelers, up 10.14 percent from the first six months of 2023 and 2.4 percent above 2019, though not matching the 8.6 million recorded in 2017. Germany follows with 5.5 million visitors, and France with 5.4 million. In both cases, these numbers surpass their best six-month totals from prior years, with Germany reaching 5.4 million in 2017 and France achieving 4.8 million in 2023.
Other countries show noteworthy increases, including Ireland with 100,000 more visitors (1.3 million), Italy with 400,000 more (2.4 million), the Netherlands with 300,000 more (2.1 million), and the broader European aggregate that includes Russia since the onset of the Ukraine war, which brought 700,000 additional arrivals to Spain (4.3 million). The United States contributed 200,000 more visitors (2 million); the rest of the Americas added 200,000 more (2 million); Belgium also rose by 250,000 reaching 1.3 million. All of these figures are compared to the prior year, which had already been the highest for visitors from these regions to Spain.
In June, Spain hosted 9.3 million foreign visitors, a 5.4 percent rise from 2019 and 12.1 percent above the previous year. During that month, these travelers spent 12.373 billion euros, marking a 16.6 percent year-over-year increase and a 27.7 percent rise versus the pre pandemic year. The average spend per visitor stood at 1,329 euros, up 4 percent from the year before, and daily expenditure reached 196 euros, a 1.9 percent year-over-year growth. The most common stay duration was four to seven nights, accounting for nearly 4.7 million travelers and a 10 percent year-over-year rise.