In the first ten months of the year, Spain welcomed 63.1 million international visitors, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). This figure represents 93.4% of the 2019 level, with total tourism expenditure reaching €76,433 million, amounting to 84.6% of the 2019 period. [INE data]
The October performance helped lift the year-to-date numbers, as both arrivals and spending by foreign travelers approached pre-pandemic levels.
During October alone, total international visitors reached 7.2 million, with 94.6% of the arrivals observed in October 2019. Expenditure on travel and accommodation amounted to €8,296 million, which is 99.7% of the 2019 value. [INE]
Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto described the October figures as highly positive, underscoring a recovery trend that began more than a year ago.
He emphasized that the tourism sector demonstrates strong resilience and significant economic and employment impact, even amid ongoing uncertainty. He noted that the trend is expected to persist into the final months of the year. The government has implemented measures to curb inflation, which should help Spain close 2022 with figures near pre-COVID levels. [Government statistics]
Average spending per person rose in October compared with October 2019, from €1,097 to €1,156. The average length of stay also edged up, from 6.81 days to 6.9 days.
The United Kingdom remained the top source market with more than 1.5 million visitors, followed by Germany with around 1.1 million and France with 917,245 visitors.
In terms of expenditure, the three leading markets spent more in October than in the same month of 2019: the United Kingdom spent €1,641 million versus €1,579.67 million in 2019, France spent €692 million versus €571 million, and Italy spent €278 million versus €234 million.
Regionally, Catalonia led inbound arrivals with approximately 1.5 million visitors, followed by the Balearic Islands with over 1.3 million, the Canary Islands with about 1.2 million, Andalusia with more than one million, the Valencian Community with 865,908, and the Community of Madrid with 688,517.
Both the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands surpassed their 2019 visitor numbers in October, with the Canary Islands recording €1,552 million in expenditure, the Balearic Islands €1,490 million, and the Community of Madrid €1,060 million. [INE]