SPAIN welcomed 47.6 million tourists to its shores in the year from January to July, an increase of 21% compared to the same period the year before.
That’s according to the latest figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE), which also reported that visitors spent nearly €60 billion while in the country, a rise of 25% compared to 2022.
The number of tourists in the period this year was, however, slightly lower than the same months in 2019, the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic hit and severely disrupted international travel and tourism. The fall in that figure was 0.8%.
Spending has risen compared to 2019, with the €60 billion figure representing a 25% rise on the same period four years ago.
The INE also reported that the UK sent the most tourists to Spain, with 9.8 million. That figure represents a 17% rise on 2022.
Then came France, with 6.4 million (a rise of 20% on last year), and then Germany, with six million (up 10% on the same months in 2022).
For the month of July, the INE reported that the Balearic Islands were the most popular destination for tourists, accounting for 24% of the total, followed by Catalonia (23%) and Andalusia (13%).
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