Spain reports record summer tourism season

Spain reports record summer tourism season
By admin


Spain drew a record number of foreign visitors between June and September, the peak summer holiday period, the government says, setting the country up for its best-ever year for tourism.

The number of foreign tourists during the four-month period rose 6.9 per cent in the past year to an unprecedented 31 million, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

A recovery in Britain and Germany – where roughly half of all visitors to Spain traditionally come from – has fuelled the tourism boom, which has also been helped by holidaymakers shunning traditional competitors such as Egypt and Turkey because of political turmoil.

Overall visitor numbers during the first nine months of 2014 hit 52.4 million, a 7.4 per cent increase during the same time in 2013.

Spain lured a record 60.6 million international visitors last year. The government predicts this figure will be surpassed in 2014.

British tourists led the charge with 12.4 million visitors, followed by the French with 8.6 million visitors and Germans with 8.3 million.

The most popular destinations were the northeastern region of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the southern region of Andalusia, which are famous for their beaches.

Spain is the world's most popular tourism destination after the United States and France, according to United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

Tourism is crucial to the slowly recovering yet jobs-scarce Spanish economy, accounting for about 11 per cent of economic activity.

Spain has shown a gradual economic pick-up since emerging from recession in mid-2013, but still suffers from a 24 per cent unemployment rate, which is one of the highest in the industrialised world.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

Latest News

  • Sustainability

Flight Centre and Reforest hit one million trees target early

Flight Centre and Reforest have hit their inaugural annual target of contributing one million trees – four months ahead of schedule thanks to demand from customers for the agency’s Captain’s Pack. The target was set when the program launched in August 2023 and involves a contribution toward ‘Planting for the Planet’ for every purchase of […]

  • Tour Operators

New cruise options spearhead stacked APT 2025 program

APT has launched its Australia 2025 program, showcasing two brand-new cruising experiences and a $5m refurbishment to APT’s exclusive Mitchell Falls Wilderness Lodge. The highlight of 2025 is Seabourn Pursuit, a purpose-built ultra-luxury ship offering all-veranda suites, exceptional dining, and a dedicated Expedition Team for an unparalleled exploration along the Kimberley coast. Also debuting in […]

  • Products

Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun

If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Tourism

TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

  • Aviation

Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

  • Hotels

Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

  • Luxury
  • News

Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]