Britons, Germans, Italians, and French travelers take the spotlight, but the mix also includes Poles, Czechs, and Americans. This September, more than 11.8 million foreign visitors are projected to land at Spanish airports, marking a 10.9% rise from the same month in 2023. The forecast comes from Turespaña, the public body under the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, anchored on the total number of seats booked on international flights bound for Spain.
Underlined by Turespaña, the United Kingdom shows strong momentum with 2,691,359 UK citizens planning a short stay in Spain next month, a 7.9% increase year over year. Germany follows with 1,687,268 travelers heading to Spain, up 8.3%. Italy adds a notable 14.7% growth to 1,121,478 travelers, while France contributes 889,853 people traveling to a Spanish destination, up 6.5%.
There is also a sharp rise from Poland and the Czech Republic, highlighted by a surge of 46.1% and 36.4% respectively. In absolute terms, 269,579 Poles and 111,756 Czechs will fly to one of Spain’s airports in the coming weeks and throughout the next 30 days.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to grow by 10.2%, and Austria by 12.4%. Also notable are Nordic markets like Finland at 10.6% and Sweden at 8%. Taken together, these markets are particularly appealing for Spain’s tourism sector due to the substantial purchasing power of visitors from these regions. Latin America also features prominently, with Mexico and Colombia identified as the countries where the desire to visit Spain is strongest.
Extending the season
So far this summer, even before the final August data, Spain’s tourism sector is on track for another record-breaking year. The September growth forecast reinforces the optimistic outlook and supports the shift toward a less seasonal travel pattern. Holidays are no longer confined to July and August; the season is extending further into late fall and early winter.
What explains this shift in traveler behavior? A warmer climate is one factor, with heat waves reshaping preferences. Teleworking is another driver, allowing more people to spread trips across the year. There is also a growing trend in many European households—adults living without children—expanding the range of travel opportunities. A CaixaBank Research economist, David César Heymann, emphasized this change, noting the ongoing realignment of travel flows from January to December since the pandemic era.
Regionally, certain destinations have already felt this shift. Girona, for instance, has reported a sustained uptick in American and Central European visitors drawn to cycling tourism. Local tourism authorities have observed hotel occupancy staying strong well into November, driven by continued demand in September and October.