In 2024, Spain’s tourism sector reached the staggering number of *** million international visitors. This figure represents an increase of more than ** million visitors versus the previous year and also versus 2019, right before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Where and for how long do visitors in Spain usually stay? Hotels are by a wide margin the preferred type of accommodation for international tourists in Spain. More than ** million foreign tourists in Spanish territory opted for such lodging services in 2022. Additionally, *** million travelers stayed at friends’ or relatives’ homes during their trips, while a similar number chose a short-term rental option. The trip length chosen by international overnight travelers in Spain also varied in 2022, though almost half of them stayed between **** and ***** nights. Meanwhile, over ** million tourists extended their stay for at least ***** nights. However, Spain is also a popular day-trip destination. For instance, more than ** million non-residents crossed the Spanish border in 2022 for a short visit. Where do people visiting Spain come from? In 2022, the most common country of origin among international tourists in Spain was the United Kingdom, with a total of over ** million travelers making the trip. Spain’s immediate neighbor to the East, France, was second with more than ** million French travelers visiting Spain. Out of the ** autonomous communities, Catalonia was the top Spanish destination for international tourism in that same year, welcoming nearly ** million people in total.
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Tourist Arrivals in Spain increased to 9395.61 Thousand in May from 8568.14 Thousand in April of 2025. This dataset provides - Spain Tourist Arrivals - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.
Mallorca received more than 13 million hotel guests in 2023, which was the highest number registered that year among popular beach destinations in Spain. Barcelona and its coast followed in the ranking, with around 12.6 million tourists at hotel establishments.
The revenue generated by hotels and accommodation establishments in Spain through online sales in 2023 amounted to approximately 3.3 billion euros, a growth of roughly 6.5 percent over the previous year. The general past trend of this Spanish industry's e-commerce revenue was steady growth, except for a pronounced drop in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of arrivals in tourist accommodation in Spain stood at approximately 144.83 million in 2023. Between 1990 and 2023, the number of arrivals rose by around 109.50 million, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.
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Spain ES: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data was reported at 75,315,000.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 68,175,000.000 Person for 2015. Spain ES: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data is updated yearly, averaging 52,553,500.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 75,315,000.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 32,971,000.000 Person in 1995. Spain ES: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;
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Key information about Spain Visitor Arrivals
The number of tourists who visited Spain in 1959, in the early years of the tourism boom, was approximately 4.2 million people. Over the following 14 years, Spain's economy would catch up with growth rates experienced across Western Europe, during the most prosperous period in the continent's history. The climate and affordability of Spain, along with the accessibility of air travel and increased levels of disposable income in other countries, combined to make Spain the most popular holiday destination on the continent. By 1973, just before the first major recession of the late-20th century, approximately 34.6 million tourists visited Spain; this is roughly equal to Spain's total population at the time.
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International tourism, number of arrivals in Spain was reported at 36410000 in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Spain - International tourism, number of arrivals - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.
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Spain ES: International Tourism: Number of Departures data was reported at 15,405,000.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 14,407,000.000 Person for 2015. Spain ES: International Tourism: Number of Departures data is updated yearly, averaging 10,571,000.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15,405,000.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 3,519,000.000 Person in 1999. Spain ES: International Tourism: Number of Departures data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International outbound tourists are the number of departures that people make from their country of usual residence to any other country for any purpose other than a remunerated activity in the country visited. The data on outbound tourists refer to the number of departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips from a country during a given period is counted each time as a new departure.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;
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Spain ES: International Tourism: Receipts data was reported at 60.605 USD bn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 56.532 USD bn for 2015. Spain ES: International Tourism: Receipts data is updated yearly, averaging 51.578 USD bn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 65.099 USD bn in 2014 and a record low of 27.369 USD bn in 1995. Spain ES: International Tourism: Receipts data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.World Bank: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;
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International tourism, number of departures in Spain was reported at 6236000 in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Spain - International tourism, number of departures - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.
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Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Cantabria data was reported at 40,395.000 Person in Oct 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 48,043.000 Person for Sep 2024. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Cantabria data is updated monthly, averaging 25,158.500 Person from Oct 2015 (Median) to Oct 2024, with 102 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 92,124.000 Person in Aug 2019 and a record low of 1,456.000 Person in Nov 2020. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Cantabria data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.Q002: Visitor Arrivals: National Statistics Institute: by Region. [COVID-19-IMPACT]
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Tourism Revenues in Spain increased to 8488 EUR Million in April from 6999 EUR Million in March of 2025. This dataset provides - Spain Tourism Revenues- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.
August was the month with the highest number of international visitors in Spain in 2021, 2022 and, 2023. In August of that last year, around **** million inbound visitors entered the Spanish territory. Over *** million of them were overnight tourists while the rest corresponded to same-day visitors.
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Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Castile and Leon data was reported at 110,480.000 Person in Oct 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 130,832.000 Person for Sep 2024. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Castile and Leon data is updated monthly, averaging 83,774.500 Person from Oct 2015 (Median) to Oct 2024, with 106 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 254,118.000 Person in Aug 2017 and a record low of 9,842.000 Person in Feb 2021. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Castile and Leon data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.Q002: Visitor Arrivals: National Statistics Institute: by Region. [COVID-19-IMPACT]
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Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Canary Islands data was reported at 1,444,472.000 Person in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 81,935.000 Person for Jan 2025. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Canary Islands data is updated monthly, averaging 22,485.000 Person from Oct 2015 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 113 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,444,472.000 Person in Feb 2025 and a record low of 0.000 Person in Apr 2020. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Canary Islands data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.Q002: Visitor Arrivals: National Statistics Institute: by Region. [COVID-19-IMPACT]
In 2024, Catalonia was the most visited region by international tourists in Spain. This Spanish autonomous community ranked first thanks to the almost ** million people visiting from abroad, roughly **** million more than the visitors welcomed in the insular communities.
The value of goods and services offered by the tourism sector in Spain increased by more than 11 percent in 2024, surpassing 200 billion euros. In 2025, the tourism GDP in the Iberian country could grow by eight percent. Holidaymakers in Spain France was the leading source country for inbound tourism in Spain in 2020. Although British tourists in Spain have traditionally been the largest visitor group in the Mediterranean country, the number of travelers from Britain declined by almost 15 million in 2020, most likely due to difficulties created as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, the share of domestic tourist expenditure was higher than the share of international tourist expenditure in the country in 2020, which was different from the share of tourism expenditure in Spain prior to COVID-19. COVID-19 impact on the Spanish tourism industry As of December 2021, the travel and tourism sector in Spain was still recovering from the economy-wide disruptions caused by the global health crisis. The monthly growth rate of tourism GDP in Spain was lower in every month of 2020 and 2021 compared to the same month in 2019. Additionally, businesses within the sector reported lower revenues since the beginning of the pandemic, with negative earnings growth rates in Spanish tourism companies in 2020 and 2021 compared to reported earnings in 2019.
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Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Region of Murcia data was reported at 98,554.000 Person in Oct 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 110,278.000 Person for Sep 2024. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Region of Murcia data is updated monthly, averaging 65,688.000 Person from Oct 2015 (Median) to Oct 2024, with 107 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 187,089.000 Person in Aug 2024 and a record low of 1,841.000 Person in Jun 2020. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Region of Murcia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.Q002: Visitor Arrivals: National Statistics Institute: by Region. [COVID-19-IMPACT]
In 2024, Spain’s tourism sector reached the staggering number of *** million international visitors. This figure represents an increase of more than ** million visitors versus the previous year and also versus 2019, right before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Where and for how long do visitors in Spain usually stay? Hotels are by a wide margin the preferred type of accommodation for international tourists in Spain. More than ** million foreign tourists in Spanish territory opted for such lodging services in 2022. Additionally, *** million travelers stayed at friends’ or relatives’ homes during their trips, while a similar number chose a short-term rental option. The trip length chosen by international overnight travelers in Spain also varied in 2022, though almost half of them stayed between **** and ***** nights. Meanwhile, over ** million tourists extended their stay for at least ***** nights. However, Spain is also a popular day-trip destination. For instance, more than ** million non-residents crossed the Spanish border in 2022 for a short visit. Where do people visiting Spain come from? In 2022, the most common country of origin among international tourists in Spain was the United Kingdom, with a total of over ** million travelers making the trip. Spain’s immediate neighbor to the East, France, was second with more than ** million French travelers visiting Spain. Out of the ** autonomous communities, Catalonia was the top Spanish destination for international tourism in that same year, welcoming nearly ** million people in total.