Spain’s January Tourism Surges with Record Spending
In January, Spain welcomed 4.1 million international visitors, a rise of 65.8% year over year, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) released this Friday. Travel spending reached 5.218 billion euros, up 71.1% from January of the previous year, highlighting a strong start to the year for the country’s tourism sector.
Compared with 2019, the January figures align with pre pandemic levels, with only 49,594 more visitors arriving in January 2023 than in January 2019. Expenditure for January 2023 also surpasses the pre pandemic benchmark, with a 529 million euro surplus against January 2019. These numbers reinforce a rapid recovery in international tourism in Spain.
Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto commented that the data show tourism will be a key engine for Spain’s economy this year. He added that the country is moving closer to its goal of modernizing tourism and improving quality across the sector.
Frontier Travel Movement Statistics data show the United Kingdom remains the leading source of visitors to Spain, with 742,212 arrivals (17.9%), roughly doubling the January figure from the prior year. The U.K. pattern continues to reflect pandemic-related effects. France and Germany also contributed large shares, with 485,116 visitors from France (up 39.6% year over year) and 478,258 from Germany (up 69.6%). Additional growth came from the United States (up 102.8%), Italy (up 78.6%), and Ireland (up 66.1%).
Canary Islands Lead as a Winter Magnet
The Canary Islands, a traditional European winter destination, captured 29% of Spain’s international visits in January, trailed by Catalonia at 19.2% and Andalusia at 13.8%. More than 1.2 million international visitors arrived in the Canary Islands in January, up 58.5% from January 2022, with British travellers making up the largest share (33.2%), followed by Germans (18%). In Catalonia, visitor numbers rose 71.6% to 798,331. France accounted for 18.1% and Italy for 10.6% of Catalonia’s arrivals. Andalusia attracted 571,873 visitors, growing 76.8% year over year, with the United Kingdom and Nordic countries among its main sources.
Other regions also posted strong growth, including Madrid and Valencia, with double-digit gains across many communities. The entry route to the country remained highly active, with international air travel handling 3.5 million visitors, up 73.5% from the previous year, and road, rail, and port traffic rising as well.
Accommodation and Stay Patterns Shift Upward
Hotel and rental accommodations saw a 71.6% year-on-year increase in tourist use. Hotel stays rose by 63.2%, while rental homes climbed by 128.7%. Overnight stays in private homes or with relatives and friends also rose by 52.7%. Guests staying with family or friends increased by 61.6%, and those staying in their own homes rose by 39.9% year over year.
Leisure and vacations remained the primary reason for travel, with 3.4 million tourists visiting Spain for leisure in January, up 70.3% from the previous year, followed by 267,551 travellers for business or other professional reasons, up 80.4%.
Most visitors stayed between four and seven nights. The INE notes a 35.4% rise in hikers who did not stay overnight, while those staying more than 15 nights increased by 29.9%.
Domestic travel patterns show a growing share of travelers arriving without packages, totaling 3.3 million, up 61.7% from the prior year, alongside 869,860 travellers arriving with packaged deals, up 83.4%.
Average Spending Climbs
The larger crowds were complemented by higher spending. The Tourist Expenditure Survey (Egatur) reports total international spending in Spain reached 5.218 billion euros in January, a 71.7% increase from January 2022. The average expenditure per tourist rose to 1,258 euros, up 3.5% year over year, while average daily spending climbed 19.3% to 148 euros.
Among the top spenders, the United Kingdom accounted for 16.2% of total expenditure, followed by Germany at 11.4% and the Nordic countries at 9.2%. INE data show UK tourist spending surged 89.8% year over year, German spending grew 49.3%, and Nordic spending rose 64.9%.
In terms of spending by activity, international transport ranked first at 22% of total expenditure, followed by maintenance and other services at 16.6%. Hotels accounted for 55% of total spending, while visitors staying with friends or relatives posted an extraordinary 70.4% increase in expenditure. Non-packaged travelers accounted for 79.4% of total spending, rising 69.7% year over year, while those with a packaged arrangement increased by 79.8%.
Leisure travel represented 82.4% of total spending, up 73.2% from January 2022, highlighting the strong appeal of Spain as a holiday destination for international visitors.