Inbound visitors in Spain 2000-2024
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In 2024, Spain’s tourism sector reached the staggering number of 138 million international visitors. This figure represents an increase of more than 10 million visitors versus the previous year and also versus 2019, right before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Where and for how long do visitors in Spain usually stay?
Hotels are by a wide margin the preferred type of accommodation for international tourists in Spain. More than 49 million foreign tourists in Spanish territory opted for such lodging services in 2022. Additionally, 7.3 million travelers stayed at friends’ or relatives’ homes during their trips, while a similar number chose a short-term rental option.
The trip length chosen by international overnight travelers in Spain also varied in 2022, though almost half of them stayed between four and seven nights. Meanwhile, over 29 million tourists extended their stay for at least eight nights. However, Spain is also a popular day-trip destination. For instance, more than 33 million non-residents crossed the Spanish border in 2022 for a short visit.
Where do people visiting Spain come from?
In 2022, the most common country of origin among international tourists in Spain was the United Kingdom, with a total of over 15 million travelers making the trip. Spain’s immediate neighbor to the East, France, was second with more than 10 million French travelers visiting Spain. Out of the 17 autonomous communities, Catalonia was the top Spanish destination for international tourism in that same year, welcoming nearly 15 million people in total.
