Spain posts record number of visitors despite protests

The number of tourists and business travellers visiting Spain over the first eight months of the year reached a new record of 64.3 million, the INE statistics office reported in Madrid on Wednesday.

The figure was up 11.2% on the same period last year. Spending by visitors rose by almost 18% to €86.5 billion ($95.5 billion).

Almost 11 million tourists and businesspeople visited Spain in August alone, up 7.3% on the July figure. They are estimated to have spent €15.3 billion, 13% more than in August last year. Per capita expenditure also rose, by 5.3% to more than €1,400.

Leading the rankings were the British, with 12.7 million visitors in the eight months to the end of August, up 7.8% on the year. They were followed by the French with 9.2 million visitors, up 10.1%, and Germany with more than 8 million, up 9.3%.

Catalonia was the most-visited region, with almost 13.8 million visitors, followed by the Balearic Islands, with Mallorca alone recording almost 11.2 million visitors. The Canaries drew almost 9.9 million, and Andalusia more than 9.3 million.

Visitor numbers had been rising for years, before the coronavirus pandemic led to a fall, but since 2022 one record has fallen after another, despite popular protests that have seen tourists sprayed with water pistols and told to "go home."

There have been demonstrations this year in major destinations, such as Mallorca, Barcelona, Málaga and the Canaries, and also in smaller locations. Local are angered by home shortages, which are attributed to conversions to holiday lets, and by traffic jams, noise and dirt.

But Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu welcomed the increase, emphasizing the jobs provided by the sector, which were estimated at 2.9 million in August, up 5.5% on July.

Tourism contributes almost 14% of Spain's gross domestic product, with the figure considerably higher in certain regions, such as the Balearics, where the figure as around 35%.