In the second quarter of 2023, residents of Spain undertook 48.4 million trips. This marked an 8.5% rise from the previous year, yet it remained 4% below the level seen in the second quarter of 2019 before the pandemic, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). [INE]
Spending has surpassed pre pandemic levels, climbing 16.7% since 2019 and averaging 14.4% annually, reaching a total of 13.335 billion euros. [INE]
The majority of travel, 91.1%, involved trips within national borders, reflecting a 7.6% increase from the prior year. International expenditures accounted for 8.9% of total travel and grew by 18.1%. [INE]
For the first six months of 2023, INE highlights a 9.1% rise in travel by local residents compared with the same period the year before. Domestic flights rose 6.9% and international trips jumped 35.2%. [INE]
Across the quarter, April recorded 17.6 million trips, May had 15.4 million, and June also showed 15.4 million, with a misalignment in some weeks explained by the Easter timing in 2022 and 2023. [INE]
INE also breaks down data by trip purpose. Visits for entertainment, relaxation, and holidays represented 52.2% of total travel, rising 9.1% from the previous year, followed by visits to family and friends at 31.7% with an 8.2% increase. [INE]
Business travel and other professional reasons grew by 22.6%, while travel for other purposes declined by 13.2%. Expenditure, accommodation, and transportation are the main cost drivers noted by researchers. [INE]
Total travel spending in the second quarter reached 13,335.4 million euros, up 14.4% from the year before. Domestic expenditures rose 9.7%, while international spending increased 27.1%. [INE]
Average daily spending stood at 72 euros for domestic trips and 138 euros for international journeys. During trips within Spain, spending on bars and restaurants accounted for the largest share of total expenditure at 26.8% with a 17.7% rise, while transportation out of the country represented 32.5% of total expenditure, up 30.1%. [INE]
February saw the highest daily expenses in the Balearic Islands at 110 euros, followed by the Canary Islands at 98 euros and Madrid at 96 euros. Conversely, the lowest daily costs occurred in February in Castile la Mancha at 49 euros, Extremadura at 54 euros, and Castile and Leon at 58 euros. [INE]
Domestic trips showed that 40.4% of travelers stayed with family or friends, with 17.8 million accommodations recorded, an 11.0% increase from the previous year. When traveling abroad, hotel stays were favored, accounting for 50.5% of trips and showing 13.6% growth. [INE]
Regarding transportation, private vehicles were involved in 79.7% of trips within Spain, a 4.4% rise from 2022. Air travel was used in 68.3% of international events, up 22.0%. The most popular destinations for residents within Spain were Andalusia, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community. [INE]
INE notes that domestic travel patterns align with the size of the resident population, highlighting regional intensity. Castile and Leon reported 1,896 trips per 1,000 people, Cantabria 1,825, and Castile la Mancha 1,414. [INE]
Looking at origins, residents from the Community of Madrid accounted for 18.9% of total trips in the second quarter, followed by Catalonia at 16.2% and Andalusia at 14.7%. [INE]