Statistics compiled by EGATUR / FRONTUR: Ministry of Industry, Energy & Tourism
Summary
- The first six months of 2014 saw a 7.3% increase compared to 2013, with over 28 million international visitors to Spain
- In June alone, Spain welcomed 6.6 million international visitors, up 4.5% year on year and tourism expenditure grew by 3.9% year on year, with a total spend of €6.2 billion
- Total tourism expenditure from January 2014 to the end of June 2014 has grown by 7.8% year on year to €26.3 billion
- The UK continues to be Spain’s strongest inbound tourism market accounting for 23.3% of all international visits to Spain between January and June 2014 (+5.8%) with over 6.5 million visitors
- UK visitor expenditure experienced a 10.2% rise between January and June 2014, totalling €5.2 billion and accounting for 19.8% of the total tourism spend
Source Markets
During June 2014, Spain welcomed more than 1.7 million UK visitors, making the UK the largest international tourism market to the country and representing 26.5% of all international tourists. The monthly figure represented a year on year increase of 3%.
In June 2014, Germany was the second strongest inbound tourism market to Spain, accounting for 17.2% of all international visitors, a 10.8% year on year increase, followed by France which represented 12.4% (+7%).
In terms of tourism expenditure in Spain, June 2014 saw a total spend of €6.2 billion, up 3.9% year on year. The UK accounted for the largest part (22.6%), followed by Germany (16.4%) and France (7.7%).
Cumulatively since January 2014, Spain has welcomed over 28 million international tourists, a rise of 7.3% year on year, including over 6.5 million UK visitors (+5.8%). Tourism expenditure in Spain from January 2014 to the end of June 2014 has grown by 7.8% to €26.3 billion, with the UK accounting for 19.8% (+10.2%), followed by Germany (16.7%) and the Nordic countries (10.6%).
Key destinations
During June 2014, all Spanish regions saw yearly increases in terms of international visitor numbers, with Madrid and surrounds recording the biggest year on year increase (+14.5%).
In June 2014, the Balearic Islands received the highest number of international visitors (1.7 million), a year on year increase of 2.1%, mainly fuelled by German and, to a lesser extent, Italian arrivals. This equalled 26.4% of total tourism arrivals in June 2014. Despite an increase in visitors, expenditure dropped by 2.2% in June, with a total spend of €1.53 billion (representing 24.7% of the total).
Cumulatively from January until the end of June 2014 the Balearic Islands has welcomed more than 4.2 million visitors (-0.6%), representing 15.1% of total international visits. With a total tourism spend of €3.5 billion (-3.6%), the Balearic Islands accounted for 13.2% of Spain’s total tourism expenditure in the first six months of the year.
Catalonia received the second highest number of visitors in June, 1.7 million, up 2.4% year on year. The region also saw the highest expenditure for the month (€1.55 billion), representing 24.9% of the total spend.
From January until the end of June, Catalonia has welcomed the highest number of visitors, accounting for a quarter of all arrivals with 7.1 million international visits (+6.7%). Total tourism expenditure in Catalonia for the same period was in excess of €5.9 billion (+3.9%), accounting for 23% of the total tourism spend in Spain and making it Spain’s second most popular region in terms of expenditure this year (after the Canary Islands).
For June 2014, the Canary Islands received in excess of 769,000 international arrivals in June, an 8.1% year on year increase, with the UK and Germany identified as the main contributors towards this growth. Expenditure was also up by 5.1% year on year, to €720.000.
Cumulatively since January 2014, the Canary Islands has welcomed over 5.6 million international visitors (+12.4%). The Canary Islands has also seen the highest expenditure (€6.1 billion), a 13.9% year on year increase and 23% of the total spend by international visitors in Spain.
In June 2014 the region of Andalucía welcomed just over 856,000 international visitors (+5.5%), mainly thanks to UK visitors, who accounted for 25.2% of the total visits to the region. Andalucía also recorded a total spend of €911,000 in June, a 6.9% increase year on year and 14.7% of the total spend. Since January 2014, Andalucía has received more than 3.7 million international visitors (+9%) with the total tourism expenditure reaching €4 billion (+14%).
Madrid and the surroundings saw the most significant year on year growth in international visitors in June 2014, with a +14.5% increase, accounting for 6.3% of all visitors. Expenditure in Madrid also increased by 20.3% in June to €555,000.
Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of June, Madrid and surrounds has welcomed over 2.3 million visitors, an 8% year on year increase and accounted for 10.4% of the total international visitor expenditure.
Valencia recorded an increase in visitors of 0.9% in June 2014, accounting for 9.5% of Spain’s international arrivals. In terms of spend, this dropped by 1.5% to €512,000, but still accounted for 8.2% of the total spend.
Cumulatively from January 2014 until the end of June, Valencia welcomed over 2.7 million visitors (+5.6%), and recorded a 0.5% increase in expenditure.
The rest of Spain also saw a positive increases in terms of international visitors and tourism expenditure during June 2014 (+10.4% and 26.2% respectively).
Average tourism spend
During June 2014, the average spend per tourist in Spain was €944 (-0.6%) whilst the average daily spend was €111 (+1%).
UK visitors spent an average of €806 per tourist (+1.9%) with an average daily spend of €100 (+5.5%). Visitors from the US had the highest spend (€2,336 per tourist), a 16.6% year on year increase.
Other key statistics
During June 2014, 84% of all international visitors to Spain arrived by plane (+3.4%) whilst road access accounted for 14.9% of all arrivals (+10.8%).
Whilst most visitors opted for hotel accommodation (67%) in June 2014 (+3.4%), rented accommodation saw a significant year on year increase of 23.8% and accounted for 12.6% of visits. Cumulatively since January 2014, hotels were the accommodation of choice for 66.5% of visitors with non-hotel accommodation accounting for 33.5%.
In terms of types of travel, in June 33% of international visitors opted to visit Spain as part of a package holiday (+10.6%), while 67% opted to travel without a package (+1.8%).
