Spain received 57.7 million international tourists in 2012, representing a 2.7% increase from the previous year, according to the Survey of Touristic Movements in Border (Frontur) broadcasted by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism.
This figure is slightly lower than announced previously by the Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, Jose Manuel Soria, during the presentation of the touristic balance of last year estimated 57.9 million foreign tourists and an increase of 3%.
Nevertheless, this is the third-best figure in international arrivals behind the year 2007 in which Spain reached 58.7 million foreign tourists and 2006, when it reached 58 million international visitors.
The main senders were the United Kingdom, Germany and France, while Russia was the country recorded the highest increase, up from 39.8% in the full year, exceeding the 1.2 million tourists.
Among the autonomous communities, Catalonia, with an increase of 9.9%, got the highest percentage of foreign visitors, 25% of total arrivals in 2012, which resulted in 14.4 million tourists received.
In December a bit more than 2.6 international tourists visited Spain, which is 1.3% less than a year ago, breaking the positive trend experienced in November, the month in which arrivals rose by 0.2%.
