The government endorses a single summer season as plans unfold for Spain, where tourism demand is rising rapidly. Projections from managers indicate a peak season marked by a robust rebound in international arrivals that approaches pre-pandemic levels, while demand from domestic travelers is rebounding strongly and surpassing summer 2019 benchmarks. Fernando Valdés, the Minister of State for Tourism, urged audiences to embrace a summer reminiscent of those that came before.
Last year, the sector, still navigating successive waves of the virus, leaned on the strength of Spanish demand to fuel recovery. Today, it is also experiencing a notable upswing in international tourism as travel restrictions ease and controls relax, boosting activity across the board.
The manager anticipates a near-recovery, with international tourism at about 89% of the levels registered in 2019 when the market reaches its peak. This forecast rests on confirmed flight bookings for July and August, with more than 80% of international travelers arriving by air. The option to purchase tickets for domestic flights remains available, and domestic passenger volumes are expected to grow by about 3% compared with pre-pandemic levels during the height of the season.
Domestic travelers are expected to continue choosing home destinations, while the return of international visitors supports a summer that mirrors the strongest periods of 2022. The Foreign Minister noted that the desire to visit Spain this summer has endured despite inflation pressures, underscoring the resilience of the country’s tourism model in an environment of rising prices.
Amid the resurgence, airlines and hotels are able to push rates above pre-pandemic levels, driven by surging demand but also by higher costs linked to inflation. Authorities emphasize that price increases in the tourism sector reflect broader energy and supply-chain pressures rather than a catalytic inflationary impulse specific to tourism. The Foreign Minister pointed out that the energy crisis has driven costs across the economy, with tourism representing one facet of the wider picture.
Champagne effect?
The tourism industry acknowledges a record-breaking summer while cautioning about a potential “champagne effect”—a surge in consumption during peak season fueled by post-pandemic travel enthusiasm that may fade as fatigue and economic concerns grow. Markets and industry groups worry about the durability of this rebound, especially as the year progresses and inflation and interest-rate dynamics unfold.
Representatives from the Exceltura sectoral lobby, which brings together major groups such as Meliá, NH, Riu, Iberia, Globalia, Renfe, and Amadeus, express uncertainty about the longer-term impact of current trends. They emphasize that activity in the final quarter will hinge on how inflation shapes consumer spending, how interest rates affect family budgets, and how the war in Ukraine continues to influence economic confidence.