Spain overtakes France as the world leader in tourism
Spain received a total of 85.1 million international tourists in 2023, the best record in history
In 2023, Spain welcomed a record-breaking 85.1 million international tourists who spent a total of 108,662 million euros in the country, marking its best performance in history. With these impressive figures, Spain is poised to become the world leader in tourism, surpassing France, which has not yet released its final annual data.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), tourist arrivals in Spain increased by 18.7% compared to 2022 and exceeded the pre-pandemic level of 83.5 million in 2019. These statistics, which include both tourist arrivals and their spending, demonstrate the significant contribution that tourism makes to the Spanish economy.
While France has not yet released its closing figures, initial estimates suggest that it will end the year with between 79 and 85 million foreign tourist entries. If these projections hold true, Spain will secure its spot as the world's most popular tourist destination.
As usual, the British, French and Germans were the most frequent visitors to Spain last year, marking out Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands as their destinations of choice.
Tourist arrivals in Spain from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany saw significant increases in 2023, with the UK registering a 14.6% growth, France a 17% hike, and Germany a 10.6% rise.
Catalonia witnessed a substantial 21.2% increase in tourist arrivals, with 18 million visitors flocking to the region. The Balearic Islands experienced a 9.1% growth, with 14.4 million tourists visiting the islands, while the Canary Islands saw a 13.1% rise, with 13.9 million tourists arriving in 2023.
Image: Archive
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