Record Growth in Spanish Tourism

By Belén Carreño and Maria Martinez

MADRID/BERLIN (Reuters) – Spain received a record 10.9 million tourists in July, a 7.3% increase from the previous year. Tourist spending surged 12%, boosting Spain’s economic growth in comparison to other European nations.

Data from the National Statistics Institute revealed that in the first seven months of 2024, foreign visitor spending rose 18.6% to 71 billion euros ($79 billion), despite initial worries over anti-tourism protests and extreme summer heat.

The increase, largely driven by British and German visitors, is projected to elevate Spain’s GDP growth to 2.4% this year, surpassing the 0.7% forecast for the euro zone and 0.3% for Germany, according to a Reuters poll.

Even with a 0.2% decline in Germany’s second-quarter domestic consumption, German tourists increased their spending in Spain by nearly 10%, averaging 1,340 euros per visit. Britons, who represent one in five visitors, spent 7.5% more, averaging 1,389 euros in July.

Raymond Torres, chief economist at Funcas, stated, “Spain is more competitive than Germany in the services sector,” pointing out a global shift toward travel spending. Many now prefer investing in better accommodations.

Hauke Prigge, a 34-year-old communication coach from Berlin, has visited Spain three times this year, typically spending 2,200 euros on each of his two-week trips—more than his domestic expenditures.

Following a peak in German tourism in 2017, there was a decline as travelers sought other Mediterranean spots, but signs of resurgence appeared last year. Flight bookings for September, favored by German tourists, indicate an 8.3% increase.

Prigge prefers to travel in September or during off-peak months like March, citing Spain’s favorable weather during Germany’s colder season.

Germans are also diversifying their travel destinations within Spain. While they still favor the Balearic Islands, many are now exploring mainland areas like Catalonia and Valencia.

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