Spain has celebrated a surge in the number of international tourists visiting the country in October, with 8.17 million arrivals, 13.9% more than in the same month last year.
The National Statistics Institute (INE) revealed that the number of arrivals was 7.8% higher than October 2019, the pre-pandemic reference year.
In the first ten months of the year, Spain welcomed 74.7 million tourists, surpassing the accumulated figure for 2019, and 18.2% higher than the accumulated figure for the same period of 2022.
The country also broke its record for tourist spending during October with 10.308 billion euros, up 23.9% on the best figure recorded in the same month of 2019, and up 24% on 2022. During the first ten months of 2023, spending in the country increased 24% compared to 2022, totalling 94.916 billion euros.
Jordi Hereu, Minister of Industry and Tourism, said the figures show that “we are transforming the historical nature of our tourism: Spain is still the leader, the recovery of the sector is absolute and full, but we are diversifying and deseasonalising flows, which results in a more sustainable tourism that is less dependent on the high summer season”.
The UK continued to be the main source of tourists visiting Spain in October, with 1,712,267 visitors, up 12.2% compared to the same month in 2022. Germany and France followed, bringing 1,144,516 and 997,926 tourists respectively. Noteworthy was the strong year-on-year growth of tourists from the United States, with 25.7% more arrivals than in October 2022.
Catalonia was the main destination chosen by tourists in October, followed by the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.
Spain has welcomed encouraging figures in terms of average spending per traveller and average stay, with each tourist spending an average of 1,260 euros in October, 9.8% more than last year and 14.9% more than in 2019. Spending per day also reflects this growth, reaching 185 euros, 15% more than in 2019 and up 10.6% year-on-year.
According to INE data, the communities that have benefited most from the influx of tourists are Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.
Last October, international tourists brought in 10.308 billion euros to Spain, up 23.9% on the best figure recorded in the same month of 2019, and up 24% on 2022. During the first ten months of 2023, spending increased 24% compared to 2022, totalling 94.916 billion euros.
Jordi Hereu, Minister of Industry and Tourism, said: “We are transforming the historical nature of our tourism: Spain is still the leader, the recovery of the sector is absolute and full, but we are diversifying and deseasonalising flows, which results in a more sustainable tourism that is less dependent on the high summer season”.
The UK was the main source of tourists visiting Spain in October, with 1,712,267 visitors, up 12.2% compared to the same month in 2022. Germany and France followed, bringing 1,144,516 and 997,926 tourists respectively. The United States also saw strong growth, with 25.7% more arrivals than in October 2022.
Catalonia was the main destination chosen by tourists in October, followed by the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. Average spending per traveller and average stay also showed encouraging figures, with each tourist spending an average of 1,260 euros in October, 9.8% more than last year and 14.9% more than in 2019. Spending per day reached 185 euros, 15% more than in 2019 and up 10.6% year-on-year.
According to the National Statistics Institute (INE), the communities that have benefited most from the influx of tourists are Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.
