Spain welcomed a record number of tourists in 2023, with over 28.1 million British and German visitors. However, this reduced the number of visitors between the two countries by one million compared to 2019.
In contrast, the United States saw exponential growth in tourism in the same period, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and increasing the number of its visitors.
According to data from the INE (National Statistics Institute), 17.3 million visitors from the U.K. arrived in Spain last year, an increase of 18.7% from the previous year. However, this was 3.8% less than the number of visitors in 2019, with 683,855 fewer tourists.
The German market, traditionally the second-largest after the U.K., saw a 3.2% decrease compared to pre-pandemic levels, with a total of 10.8 million travelers in 2023, which is 356,793 less than in 2019. However, it did see a 10.6% increase compared to 2022.
The Spanish tourist industry has seen a significant increase in U.S. tourists arriving in various countries in 2023. The numbers show that almost four million tourists arrived, a 16.8% increase from 2019. Moreover, there has been a 38.7% increase in travelers from the previous period, which is a positive sign for the tourism industry.
Apart from the U.S., other countries such as France, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Switzerland have also seen increased international tourist numbers. These countries have recorded figures that are above the 2019 level, with France showing a 6% increase, Belgium an 8.4% increase, Italy a 7.2% increase, Ireland a 13.7% increase, the Netherlands an 11% increase, Portugal a 17% increase, and Switzerland a 10.7% increase.
However, Nordic countries have seen a 12% decrease in tourist numbers compared to pre-pandemic figures. This is a cause for concern because these countries have some of the highest tourist spending per person, higher than the main European countries.
In terms of last year, spending by international tourists in Spain witnessed a new record, breaking all previous records. Even the main European source markets have surpassed their 2019 figures. The United Kingdom tops the list as the largest issuer of tourists to Spain, with British tourists spending 11.8% more than before the pandemic. Other countries, including Germany (+11%), France (+28.6%), Italy (+22%), and the Nordic countries (+4.7%), have also shown higher spending levels than before the pandemic.