International tourism hits record highs: Spain receives 64 million passengers by air up to July, with Brits leading the way

Last summer Spain recorded an all-time high in international tourist arrivals, but the sector still shows no sign of reaching its peak, despite the difficulty of continuing to grow at the current levels. The latest official figures, published by Turespaña on Tuesday, reveal that the country received 11.7 million tourists by air in July, 4.3% more than in the same month last year.

Between January and July, Spain received 63.7 million international air passengers, 6% more than last year, with an increase in arrivals from the main issuing markets, except Germany, whose economic crisis is affecting tourism. In July, there were notable increases in arrivals from China, South Korea, Turkey and Colombia, as well as a recovery in Japan.

Even so, the UK remains the main market, with a considerable advantage over the rest and 2.7 million air passengers in July alone, 4% more than a year ago and 23% of all air passengers arriving in Spain. Italian tourists also increased by 5% to 1.1 million people. France accounted for 7.4% of the total number of passengers in July, with almost 868,000 people, which is similar to last year. An important detail is that many French people arrive by land to visit Spain.

The most popular Spanish regions among visitors this year have been Madrid, Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Andalucía and Valencia. All recorded increases, but Valencia stands out with a growth of 8% compared to last year.

The tourism sector expects a record 100 million foreign tourists this year, which has an impact on the industry's income, but puts many areas under pressure, causing residents to complain. The weather, infrastructure, culture, hospitality and gastronomy are the features that most attract foreigners, according to experts. Another factor is the competitive prices.

Spaniards have suffered a 22% rise in hotel and hospitality prices that has left many without the opportunity to go on a local holiday this summer. Foreigners, on the other hand, "still see it as cheap". CEO of VB Group Jorge Espinós said that national tourism has become more expensive for Spaniards, because real income (discounting inflation) has not risen since the Covid pandemic. Outside Spain, however, especially in the main tourist issuing countries - the UK, Germany and France - household income has risen considerably and "for them Spain is still an economical destination".