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.

According to a survey conducted in 2024, more than 80 percent of residents surveyed on the island of Mallorca, Spain were against the building of more hotels or tourist apartments. Moreover, seven in ten respondents were also against more people coming from abroad to live on the island.

As a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Spanish tourism businesses registered annual revenue losses of nearly 70 percent in 2020, according to a survey. For 2021, the responding companies operating in this sector saw a revenue decline of around 47 percent in comparison to 2019. In both years, travel agencies were estimated to be the most affected.

In the last quarter of 2022, both the tourism and the total gross domestic product (GDP) in Spain had almost fully recovered from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. At that time, their values were only 1.5 and 0.3 below the values recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019.

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]

Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Principality of Asturias data was reported at 19,607.000 Person in Oct 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 40,433.000 Person for Sep 2024. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Principality of Asturias data is updated monthly, averaging 20,894.000 Person from Oct 2015 (Median) to Oct 2024, with 83 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 72,324.000 Person in Jul 2023 and a record low of 2,832.000 Person in Jan 2021. Spain Visitor Arrivals: Tourists: Principality of Asturias 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]

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the travel and tourism sector worldwide, as governments around the globe closed their borders and imposed mobility restrictions to dampen the spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). In Spain, a year into this global crisis meant a reduction of more than 110 billion euros in the contribution of tourism to the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Additionally, Spain counted over 800 thousand jobs losses in this sector between April 2020 and March 2021.

The number of international tourist arrivals worldwide increased across all regions in 2024 over the previous year. Except for the Asia-Pacific region, inbound tourist arrivals in 2024 exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Overall, Europe reported the highest volume of inbound travelers over the period considered, with around 747 million arrivals in 2024. What are the most visited countries by inbound travelers? With Europe being the most visited region by inbound travelers, it does not surprise that two European destinations top the ranking of countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals worldwide. Both before and after the impact of COVID-19, France and Spain reported the most inbound tourist arrivals in the world, ahead of the United States. That said, the United States was the country with the highest international tourism receipt worldwide over the same period. What is the global economic impact of travel and tourism? According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the total contribution of travel and tourism to the gross domestic product worldwide reached just under 10 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, nearly caching up with pre-pandemic levels. This figure refers to the direct, indirect, and induced impact of the global travel and tourism sector. Meanwhile, the total number of travel and tourism jobs worldwide exceeded 300 million that year.

The market size of the global tourism sector grew significantly in 2023 over the previous year, totaling around 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars. Despite the sharp annual increase, global tourism revenue remained below pre-pandemic levels. As forecast, the market size of the tourism sector worldwide was estimated at two trillion U.S. dollars in 2024. What is the economic impact of travel and tourism? In 2023, the total contribution of travel and tourism to global GDP, including the direct, indirect, and induced impact of these markets, was estimated at nearly 10 trillion U.S. dollars, almost recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, the number of travel and tourism jobs worldwide was just around one percent below pre-pandemic levels in 2023, with these industries generating, directly and indirectly, 330 million jobs. What are the most popular travel destinations worldwide? Both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, France topped the ranking of the most visited countries by inbound tourists worldwide. In 2023, the number of inbound tourist arrivals in France peaked at 100 million, the highest figure reported to date. That year, Spain, the United States, and Italy followed on the list. Meanwhile, the United States was the country with the highest international tourism receipts worldwide in 2023, ahead of Spain and the United Kingdom.

Spanish Tourism Satellite Account. Base 2010: Contribution of tourism to economy: Direct effects and total effects by period, GDP and components and type of effects. National.

The number of international tourist arrivals in Europe increased significantly in 2024 over the previous year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, inbound arrivals in Europe totaled roughly 747 million, making it the region with the highest number of international tourist arrivals worldwide. What are the leading travel markets in Europe? Both before and after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, France topped the ranking of the European countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals, ahead of Spain, Italy, and Turkey. Overall, international tourist arrivals in France reached 100 million in 2023. When looking at the European countries with the highest inbound tourism receipts, Spain recorded the highest figure that year, followed by the United Kingdom and France. The economic contribution of travel and tourism in Europe In 2023, the total contribution of travel and tourism to Europe’s gross domestic product amounted to over two trillion U.S. dollars. This figure includes the direct, indirect, and induced impacts of these industries. Meanwhile, travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Europe reached nearly 37 million that year.

The tourism sector GDP share in Spain was forecast to continuously increase between 2023 and 2028 by in total 3.7 percentage points. The share is estimated to amount to 14.83 percent in 2028. While the share was forecast to increase significant in the next years, the increase will slow down in the future.Depited is the economic contribution of the tourism sector in relation to the gross domestic product of the country or region at hand.The forecast has been adjusted for the expected impact of COVID-19.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in more than 150 countries and regions worldwide. All input data are sourced from international institutions, national statistical offices, and trade associations. All data has been are processed to generate comparable datasets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

This statistic shows the main measures taken by companies in the tourism and hospitality sectors during the coronavirus crisis in Spain in 2020. Most companies of this type decided to close their doors temporarily at 38 percent. Many also put their workers on furlough, with 27 percent of all hospitality and tourism companies.

The building boom (1998-2007) that took place along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, where the Region of Murcia is situated, produced an enormous increase in the extent and number of built-up areas, partly as a consequence of the demand on the part of retired people (mainly from the north of Europe) drawn, amongst other factors, by the climate. Indeed, the number of this type of resident increased 7.5-fold between 1991 and 20112 (Membrado Tena, 2015). Among the regions affected along the Spanish Mediterranean coast is the administrative area known as the “Comarca del Campo de Cartagena Mar Menor” (CCCMM), where the change from the classic “sun and beach” tourism to residential tourism is evident. The result here and in other areas along the coast is a radical transformation of the landscape. The absence of any planning and the rapid way in which such tourism has extended has hade a strong environmental impact. Some of the most negative consequences have been changes in soil use (IGN, 2006; Burriel, 2008; Gaja, 2008; Romero 2010; Rullán, 2011; the destruction of the landscape; drought in regions with water shortage (Vera, 2006); artificial soil sealing, with the consequent increase of flood risk. The area analysed is one of the most important tourism attractions of the province of Murcia due to its climatic characteristics, natural spaces and recreational potential. It is also an area where second homes have been built since the mid 1970s, especially around the Mar Menor lagoon.

Comparison between spas.

During the past decade, inbound tourism represented over half of the Spanish exports of services. However, this share dropped to only around 20 percent in 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 impact on tourism worldwide and is not yet fully recovered with inbound tourism expenditure reaching 28.9 percent of service exports in Spain in 2021.

As of 2022, the accommodation industry in all autonomous communities in Spain had recovered from the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Austurias improved the most that year, with the industry's revenue having increased more than 20 percent versus 2019.

The Balearic archipelago —the most affected Spanish region by the impact of COVID-19 on international tourism— was the autonomous community with the highest growth in number of foreign overnight visitors in 2021, achieving a nearly 270 percent.

In 2023, the European country with the highest number of residents visiting Spain was the United Kingdom. In total, over 17 million British residents traveled to Spanish territory and stayed at least one night. Comparatively, around 11.7 million tourists from France also made their way to Spain in that year. UK visitors: key drivers of Spain’s international tourism With over 18 million British tourists visiting Spain annually in the years before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the United Kingdom became the top contributor to international tourism in the Iberian country. On average, each UK resident who traveled to a Spanish destination in 2020 stayed more than eight days in total, reversing the overall decline recorded since 2008. In contrast, the average daily expenditure by UK tourists was constantly growing before the pandemic, reaching 132 euros in 2019. French and German tourists are also fond of Spain The easy travel connections, the weather, the food, and the hospitality of the Spanish people also attracted more than 20 million tourists from France and Germany each year during the second half of the 2010s. On average, German tourists in Spain spent significantly more money during their trips than their French counterparts. In the year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the average expenditure of German residents in Spain increased while the French visitors’ spending declined.

In 2024, Spain’s tourism sector reached the staggering number of 138 million international visitors. This figure represents an increase of more than 10 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 49 million foreign tourists in Spanish territory opted for such lodging services in 2022. Additionally, 7.3 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 four and seven nights. Meanwhile, over 29 million tourists extended their stay for at least eight nights. However, Spain is also a popular day-trip destination. For instance, more than 33 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 15 million travelers making the trip. Spain’s immediate neighbor to the East, France, was second with more than 10 million French travelers visiting Spain. Out of the 17 autonomous communities, Catalonia was the top Spanish destination for international tourism in that same year, welcoming nearly 15 million people in total.