The Diplomat
The number of foreign tourists who visited Spain in the first four months of this year was close to 24 million, which represents an increase of 14.5% compared to the same period in 2023, and points towards a new record tourist season.
The data made public yesterday by the National Statistics Institute indicate that these almost 24 million international visitors spent more than 31.5 billion euros from January to April.
The United Kingdom continues to be the main source market with more than 4.4 million tourists accumulated in the first four months of the year. They are followed by Germany with 3.18 million and France with 3.14 million. Particularly noteworthy is the growth of the Belgian market, almost 25%, and the United States, almost 15% so far this year.
In the accumulated of the first four months of the year, according to Europa Press, the communities that received the most tourists were the Canary Islands (5.5 million and an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period in 2023), Catalonia (5 million and an increase of 16.3%) and Andalusia (3.6 million, 13.5% more).
For all these reasons, these communities are the ones that have accumulated the most tourist spending so far this year: the Canary Islands (8,182 million euros), Catalonia (5,456 million) and Andalusia (4,809 million), according to the Spanish Statistical Institute.
The total expenditure made by international tourists who visited Spain in April reached 9,565 million euros, with an increase of 13.1% compared to the same month in 2023. This increases the accumulated expenditure so far in year, placing it at around 31,513 million euros.
The data from the INE tourist spending survey show how the average spending per tourist in our country stood at 1,221 euros, with an annual increase of 4.4%. For its part, average daily spending grew by 5.4%, up to 183 euros.
The main sending countries in terms of spending level were the United Kingdom (with 16.7% of the total), Germany (14.7%) and France (9.1%). Spending by tourists residing in the United Kingdom increased by 18.7% in annual rate, that of those from Germany by 12.3% and that of those from France by 12.8%.
The main spending item for travelers was transportation (not including tourist packages), which accounted for more than 21% of total spending with an increase of 19.1% compared to the same month in 2023. The following items were spending on activities and in accommodation, with 20.5% and 17.5% of the total, respectively.
Regarding the reason for the trip, tourists who visited Spain for leisure generated 83.4% of the total expenditure, with a disbursement 10.6% higher than in April 2023, according to data from the INE.
The autonomous communities where tourists spent the most in April were Catalonia (with 18.9% of total spending), the Canary Islands (17.5%) and Andalusia (15.4%). Tourist spending increased by 11.6% in annual rate in Catalonia, 8.1% in the Canary Islands and 10.8% in Andalusia.
With all this, in the first four months of 2024, the communities with the highest accumulated spending were the Canary Islands (with 26% of the total), Catalonia (17.3%) and Andalusia (15.3%).
