Expenditure approached 95,000 million euros, 16% above 2019

Spain received a total of 74.7 million tourists in the first ten months of the year, a figure that is already above the accumulated figure for 2019 (0.2% more) and which exceeds the accumulated figure for the year by 18.2%. same period last year, according to data published today by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). In this period, the spending of these tourists approached 95,000 million euros, which compared to 2019 data, is 16% higher.

For the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, these figures show that "we are transforming the historical nature of our tourism: Spain continues to be a leader, the recovery of the sector is absolute and full, but we are diversifying and deseasonalizing the flows, which reverses in a more sustainable tourism and less dependent on the high summer season".

The main issuing countries in the first 10 months of 2023 were the United Kingdom (with almost 15.5 million tourists and an annual increase of 14.3%), France (almost 10.4 million and an increase of 17.0% ) and Germany (with more than 9.6 million, 9.4% more).

Spain is approaching a new record of visitors this year. In October, a total of 8.17 million international tourists visited our country, 13.9% more than in October 2022 and 7.8% more than in the month of October 2019, considered the pre-pandemic reference year.

The United Kingdom was the main issuing market, with more than 1.7 million tourists, which represents 20.9% of the total and an increase of 12.2% compared to October 2022. Germany and France are the following countries with more tourists sent to Spain. Germany contributes 1.1 million (8% more in annual rate) and France almost one million (9% more).

Among the rest of the countries of residence, the annual growth in tourists from the United States (25.7%), the Netherlands (19.6%) and Ireland (15.1%) stands out.

CATALONIA, FAVORITE FOR TOURISTS

As far as destinations are concerned, Catalonia was the favorite community for tourists last October, accumulating 20.4% of visits, followed by the Balearic Islands (18%) and the Canary Islands (15.5%).

The main route of arrival for these tourists was by air, with nearly 7 million tourists, which represents an annual increase of 13.5%. Tourists staying in hotels grew by 15.4% while those staying in rental homes increased by 2.5%. Tourists who stayed in family or friends' homes rose by 17.4% and those staying in self-owned homes rose by 7.5%.

Leisure and vacations attracted 7 million tourists to our country, 14.2%, while 607,527 arrived for business or professional reasons (10% more). The majority length of stay among tourists was between four and seven nights, according to INE data.

NEW SPENDING RECORD

And coupled with the increase in tourists, Spain once again breaks its record for tourist spending. Foreign visitors contributed a total of 10,308 million euros last October, which represents a growth of 23.9% compared to the best figure recorded in the same month of 2019, and 24% more compared to 2022.

The average expenditure per traveler and the average stay, two data that also illustrate higher quality tourism in our country, also offer important figures. Each tourist in Spain spent an average of 1,260 euros in October, 9.8% more than last year and 14.9% more than in 2019. Spending per day also reflects this growth, reaching 185 euros, a 15% more than in 2019 and 10.6% year-on-year.

INE data highlights that during the first 10 months of 2023, the total spending of international tourists increased by 24% compared to the same period of the previous year, reaching 94,916 million euros. If this accumulated figure is compared with the data from 2019, before the pandemic, tourist spending is 16% higher.

The tourists who spent the most were those from the United Kingdom, which accounted for 18% of the total, followed by Germany (13.1%) and France (7.7%). Spending by tourists residing in the United Kingdom increased by 18% in annual rate, that of those from Germany by 14.2% and that of those from France by 14.5%.

In the first 10 months of the year, the United Kingdom was also the country with the highest accumulated spending (18.7% of the total). They are followed by Germany (12.0%) and France (9.1%).

By communities in which tourists spent the most last October, they were in Catalonia (with 18.5% of the total), the Canary Islands (17%) and the Balearic Islands (16.9%). Tourist spending increased by 27% in annual rate in Catalonia, 12.8% in the Canary Islands and 16.9% in the Balearic Islands.

Spending on transportation was the main item with 20.7% of the total and an increase of 34% compared to the same month in 2022. 67.2% of total spending in October was made by tourists who spent the night in hotel accommodation, with a annual increase of 24.1%.

Regarding the reason for the trip, tourists who visit Spain for leisure generated 84.4% of the total expenditure (with a disbursement 23.3% higher than October 2022), according to data from the INE.