Spain’s tourism rebounds into a busy year
Tourism shows a solid rebound after a two-year pause caused by the pandemic. At first, the recovery relied on strong demand from Spanish travelers, but it is now supported by renewed activity from foreign visitors, helping the sector stay on track despite broader economic jitters around the globe.
Spain welcomed 67.4 million international visitors from January through November, a rise that effectively doubles the 28.2 million recorded the previous year and brings arrivals to about 85% of pre-pandemic levels, according to data released this Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). The industry has logged 18 straight months of growth in foreign tourist arrivals after the covid shock and travel restrictions, yet there remains a narrow gap of about 12 million fewer visitors compared with the pre-pandemic period.
Even amid doubts about international demand after a summer battered by inflation and slower growth, activity continues to hold firm. In November, 4.34 million tourists visited Spain, up 29% from the same month last year and equating to roughly 93% of November 2019 visitor numbers from the pre-covid era.
With December official figures still pending, industry forecasts project total international arrivals for 2022 to fall between 70 and 71 million. This would mark a clear reactivation versus 31 million in 2021, though still short of the 83.7 million visitors recorded in 2019.
United Kingdom leads as the country with the most visitors, recording 14.4 million arrivals between January and November. That figure represents a jump of nearly 270% from the previous year, but remains below the 17 million level achieved in the last year before the pandemic. Following the UK, France and Germany contributed strong numbers with 9.4 million and 9.3 million visitors respectively (up 78% and 94%).
In the first eleven months of the year, Catalonia received roughly 14 million visitors, about 24% below 2019 but up 167% versus the prior year. The Balearic Islands welcomed around 13 million, recovering 110.5% year over year and nearly 96% of pre-pandemic levels, while the Canary Islands surpassed 11 million, rising 155% from the previous year and recovering about 93% of 2019 data.
Spending grows
During January–November, international tourist expenditure reached about 81.821 billion euros, climbing roughly 161% from the prior year and almost restoring 94% of pre-pandemic spending levels. Inflation and rising costs weighed on company expenses, yet strong demand helped sustain revenue in the sector.
According to the Tourist Expenditure Survey (Egatur) by INE, in the first eleven months of 2019, pre-pandemic international tourist spending stood at 87.265 billion euros. This figure is approximately 5.444 billion euros higher than the same period in the previous year, accounting for traveler expenditures that include both in-country spending and related transport costs with foreign carriers. This broader measure reflects how international visitors contribute to Spain’s economy beyond just on-site spending.