The countries of origin with the highest volume of passengers were the United Kingdom (18.2%), Germany (11.8%) and Italy (10.2%)

   MADRID, 17 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Passengers from international airports who arrived in Spain last January reached 5.2 million, 98% of the level registered in January 2020, according to data published this Friday by Turespaña, which estimates growth in almost 78% over the same month of 2022.

55.8% of these passengers chose to travel with low cost companies (CBC) to get around (with an increase of 96.2%), exceeding the pre-pandemic level of 2020, while the remaining 44.2% traveled in traditional companies, which They are already at 91% compared to January 2020, they increased by 59.1%.

57.2% of all passengers came from the European Union, experiencing a rise of 69.5%, while the flow from the rest of the world (which accounts for the remaining 42.8%) grew by 90.4%.

For the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, these data show an "excellent" start to the year and consolidate a trend of reactivation of international tourism that will allow the full recovery of the tourism sector this year.

"From the Government we are deploying a very ambitious tourism policy to modernize our tourism model that is already having its results in terms of quality, sustainability and digitization of destinations and companies in the sector, which will help maintain our international leadership", assured the minister.

The origin of these international passengers grew in all the issuing countries, although the data from Portugal stand out, with 142.8% more, the United Kingdom (124.5%) and Italy (111.6%), according to data from Turespaña.

Of the total number of people who flew to Spain, 18.2% came from the United Kingdom; 11.8% from Germany; 10.2% from Italy; 8.1% from France and 4.9 from the Netherlands.

The United Kingdom generated 18.2% of all passengers arriving in Spain last January, registering an interannual increase of 124.5%. This growth had an impact on all communities, but especially on the Canary Islands, which was the destination of 43% of its passengers.

Turespaña data shows how 80% of British passengers traveled on a CBC, with the United Kingdom being the leader in arrivals in these companies, contributing 26.1% of the total (136.8% year-on-year). In passengers arriving in traditional companies (20% remaining), the United Kingdom was in second place, behind Germany, contributing 8.2% of the total (85.8% year-on-year).

Passenger arrivals from Germany (11.8% of the total) increased by 63.9%, especially benefiting the Canary Islands (40.5% of passengers). Slightly more than half of the German passengers (52.7% of the total) traveled in traditional companies, Germany being the market that led the arrivals in these companies (14.1% of the total), arrivals that showed an advance of 61, 1%. Passengers who traveled on CBC, the remaining 47.3%, also registered year-on-year growth (67.2%).

10.2% of the flow of passengers received in January arrived from Italy, registering an interannual growth of 111.6% that especially benefited Madrid (33.4% of passengers) and Catalonia (30.5%). CBC passengers (76.9% of the total) predominated over those who traveled in traditional companies (remaining 23.1%), with the interannual growth of the former (105.7%) being lower than that of the latter (133.8 %).

Turespaña data shows that France issued 8.1% of all passengers in January, showing an expansion of 66.2% that especially favored Madrid (35.2% of passengers) and Catalonia (25.9%). . 63.1% of French passengers traveled on CBC, while the remaining 36.9% used traditional companies. French passengers who traveled in CBC had a greater interannual growth (80.9%) than those who traveled in traditional companies (46.1%).

The preferred destination of the British and Germans was the Canary Islands (43% and 40.5% of their flights had that community as their destination, respectively), according to data from the Spanish statistical institute.

Passengers from Italy flew mainly to the Community of Madrid (33.4%) and Catalonia (30.5%), the same as those from France, with 35.2% and 25.9%, respectively for each of those territories.

Growth in the six communities with the most arrivals as a whole (Madrid, the Canary Islands, Catalonia, Andalusia, the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands, which account for 97.4% of all passengers) was 76.5%.

Madrid was the community with the most arrivals (30% of the total), followed by the Canary Islands (23.3%) and Catalonia (20.8%). Among the six main ones, Catalonia was the one that registered the highest year-on-year growth (101.9%).

According to data from Turespaña, Madrid was also the community with the highest share of arrivals on traditional airlines (56%) and Catalonia the one that registered the largest increase compared to the same month in 2022 (58%) on this type of airline.

Regarding low-cost companies, Catalonia was the community with the highest share of arrivals (26.3%) and also the one that experienced the greatest year-on-year growth (113.4%).