Eduardo González
Spain received more than 66.5 million tourists in the first nine months of the year, which represents an increase of almost 19% over the same period last year, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Specifically, according to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, a total of 8,823,800 visited Spain in September alone, which is 13.6% more than the same month in 2022. The cumulative figure for the first nine months of the year shows a clear recovery of the sector, with a growth of 18.8% compared to the same period in 2022. So far this year, 66,529,407 tourists have opted for our country.
On the other hand, according to INE data, foreign visitors brought in 11,215 million euros, a growth of 16.9% compared to the best figure recorded in the same month of 2019 -just before the COVID-19 pandemic- and 22.6% more compared to 2022. Moreover, during the first nine months of 2023, spending was up 24% over 2022, totaling 84.608 billion euros.
In terms of average spending per traveler and average stay, two data points that illustrate higher quality tourism and focus the Ministry’s policy efforts, the report reveals that each tourist spent an average of €1,271, up 7.9% over last year and 16.9% over 2019. Spending per day also reflects this growth, reaching 185 euros, 21% more than in 2019. Apart from that, the total number of overnight stays made in September by international tourists in all types of accommodation (hotels, apartments, owned or rented housing) was close to 60.5 million, up 12.7%.
“We celebrate these data in the context of the informal ministerial meeting that, as EU Presidency, we have just held in Palma and in which Spain has consolidated its leadership in making tourism an engine of sustainable economic momentum throughout the continent,” said the acting Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Héctor Gómez.
Origins and destinations
By country, the United Kingdom continues to top the list of tourist-sending countries in September, with 1,951,066 tourists and an 8.7% increase over September 2022. Germany and France, in that order, are the next countries with the most tourists visiting Spain. Germany contributed 1,296,095 visitors, 13.5% more than in September last year. France, meanwhile, provided 969,683 tourists to Spain, 5.9% more than in September 2022.
Among the other countries of residence, the strong year-on-year growth of tourists from the United States stands out, with 27.4% more arrivals than in the same month last year and a total of 430,220 travelers. The Ministry has shown special interest in attracting long-haul markets, whose stays tend to be longer and, therefore, also their spending.
The Balearic Islands is the first destination chosen by tourists in September, with 23.4% of the total. It is followed by Catalonia (20.7%) and Andalusia (14.9%). The Balearic Islands received 2.1 million tourists, 8.7% more than in September 2022. The number of tourists visiting Catalonia increased by 11.1% to over 1.8 million. The third main destination community by number of tourists is Andalusia, with more than 1.3 million and an annual increase of 19.1%.
In the first nine months of 2023, the communities that received the most tourists were Catalonia (with almost 14.2 million and an increase of 22.2% over the same period in 2022), the Balearic Islands (with almost 12.6 million and an increase of 8.6%) and the Canary Islands (with almost 10.0 million, up 14.1%). In terms of expenditure, in the cumulative figure up to September, the communities that have benefited most are Catalonia (with 19.5% of the total), the Balearic Islands (18.3%) and the Canary Islands (17.2%).
