September Sees Great Recovery of International Tourism in Spain

Spain relies on its tourism industry, which represents a considerable percentage of its economy, so it’s great news to see the Spanish tourism sector recovering again. The most recent figures have shown that in September 2021, 4.7 million international tourists chose to visit Spain. This considerable figure represents an increase of 53% on the number of tourists who visited Spain in September 2019 (before the pandemic began) and an incredible 311% increase on last year (September 2020). This figure shows that tourists are returning to Spain in huge numbers, and represents a huge boost to the Spanish economy. Here’s what those numbers mean in full:

How Many Tourists Have Visited Spain in 2021?

So far, almost 19.7 million tourists have returned to Spain this year. Several Spanish statistic offices have calculated that these 19.7 million tourists have spent an incredible 5.401 million euros (approximately) during their time in Spain: A figure that is six times higher than the sum that was spent up to September last year (964 million euros).

The countries that represent the tourists visiting Spain this year are from Germany, Britain and Spain. 800,000 German visitors chose Spain for their holidays, followed by 785,478 British tourists and 687,480 French tourists. Considerably more German tourists have visited Spain in 2021 compared to 2020: 3.4 million German tourists have visited Spain this year which is an increase of 57% on the previous year’s figures.

More Tourists Means More Money

As a general rule, the more tourists that visit Spain, the more money they bring with them. In September it was calculated that each tourist visiting the country spent 1,074 euros: this is an increase of 26.9% per person compared to 2020 and an increase of 52% per person compared to 2019. German tourists have been the biggest spenders (accounting for 17.5% of tourism spend), followed by France and the United Kingdom.

When analysing the figures, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, stated that “this data confirms that the reactivation of international tourism is underway and month by month a positive trend is consolidated that places Spain as one of the preferred destinations for tourists due to its tourist attractions, but also due to its high levels of security, as 89% of the target population is vaccinated. The outlook for the last quarter of the year is optimistic: the arrival of international tourists will be between 10.7 and 10.9 million, which means recovering 66% of the tourists who arrived in the same period of 2022".

Where there is more tourism, there are more jobs in the tourism sector, which goes some way to explaining why unemployment rates in Spain are currently lower than they have been since 2008.

Which Regions Are Popular With Tourists?

When it comes to the regions where tourists are choosing to visit in Spain, it should come as no surprise that the Balearic Island are the most popular destination, receiving 24% of all tourists choosing to visit Spain. Catalonia is the most popular region of mainland Spain for tourists, attracting 18.5% of visitors. 

 Are you ready to take your next holiday to Spain? Or perhaps you are in the process of moving to Spain or looking to make the right move to Spain for you? If you’re looking for estate agents in Southern Spain then why not get in touch? Our locally based property experts are a font of local knowledge, and are perfectly placed to help you find the home of your dreams.