Spain welcomed five million international tourists in February, up 15.9 percent from the same month in 2023, while spending reached 6.747 billion euros, a February record and 25.8 percent higher than a year earlier, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics INE.
In the INE surveys covering the entry of foreign travelers Frontur and the related expenditure Egatur, the number of visitors in the first two months of 2024 rose 15.6 percent and neared 9.8 million. The average spend per tourist was 1,347 euros, up 8.5 percent year over year, and the average daily expenditure climbed 5.8 percent to 173 euros.
In a note, the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, highlighted that the off season for Spanish tourism is already behaving like another expansion period, demonstrating that the flattening of arrival flows is consolidating. This trend benefits tourism spending and creates higher quality jobs with fewer seasonal swings.
Tourists from the United Kingdom were the largest group in February, totaling 939,712 and up 20.3 percent from February 2023. France contributed 619,218 visitors, down 1.4 percent, while Germany delivered 592,188 arrivals, up 11.3 percent. From January to February, the leading source markets by spend were the United Kingdom, with about 1.8 million visitors and a 16.4 percent increase; France, nearly 1.2 million visitors and a 7.1 percent rise; and Germany, more than 1.1 million visitors, up 13.0 percent.
The share of visitors using market lodging as the main accommodation increased 18.2 percent year over year, hotel lodging grew 14.8 percent, and rental housing rose 43.7 percent. Non-market lodging rose by 7.6 percent, according to INE data.
The majority stay lasted between four and seven nights, with more than 2.4 million visitors and an 18.0 percent year-on-year rise. The number of day-trippers who do not stay overnight rose 13.0 percent, while the longer stays of more than 15 nights grew 12.8 percent.
Nearly 3.9 million travelers traveled without a tour package in February, up 15.0 percent, while more than 1.1 million traveled with a tour package, up 19.4 percent.
Canary Islands, the main destination
Disaggregated by autonomous communities, the Canary Islands were Spain’s principal destination in February, accounting for 28.1 percent of the total, followed by Catalonia with 21.0 percent and Andalusia with 14.5 percent. The Canary Islands saw a 14.4 percent increase in tourist arrivals, Catalonia a 12.9 percent rise, and Andalusia an 18.6 percent ascent.
The total expenditure by international visitors to Spain in February reached 6.747 billion euros, up 25.8 percent from February 2023 and a record for that month. The mean spend per tourist was 1,347 euros, up 8.5 percent year over year, while the daily expenditure rose 5.8 percent to 173 euros.
During the first two months of 2024, total tourist spending climbed 25.7 percent to reach 13.296 billion euros.
The leading spending countries in February were the United Kingdom with 17.2 percent of the total, Germany with 12.2 percent, and the Nordic countries with 8.7 percent. UK tourist expenditure grew 36.4 percent, German expenditure rose 24.8 percent, and Nordic spending increased 26.5 percent.
International transport spending, not included in tour packages, represented the main category in February at 21.6 percent of total expenditure and rose 25.1 percent year over year. Other major components were activities spending at 21.2 percent and lodging at 17.3 percent of the total, both rising 18.1 and 32.7 percent respectively.
Spending by tourists not traveling with a tour package increased 25.6 percent; those who did travel with a package rose 26.3 percent.
80 percent for leisure
Regarding travel purposes, leisure travelers accounted for 79.7 percent of total spending, with outlays 24.1 percent higher than February 2023.
Autonomous communities with the highest share of total outlays were the Canary Islands with 32.3 percent, Catalonia with 16.4 percent, and the Community of Madrid with 14.7 percent. Year over year, spending rose 21.6 percent in the Canaries, 17.8 percent in Catalonia, and 36.9 percent in Madrid.
In January and February, the leading spending regions were the Canary Islands with 31.5 percent of the total, Catalonia with 16.2 percent, and the Community of Madrid with 16.2 percent.
These data depict a tourism sector showing resilience and a more evenly distributed flow of visitors across the year, with spending growth reflecting confidence in Spain as a travel destination and a strengthening of domestic tourism-related employment.