Tourism in Spain: Beyond the numbers, an evolving history

Hi, how are things?

In the exciting scenario of tourism, Spain has managed to surpass the mark of 84 million visitors in 2023, breaking records and leaving a trail of enthusiasm! After a few years of uncertainty with the pandemic, it seems that the light at the end of the tunnel is not only shining, but also attracting more tourists than ever.

And the most important thing is not only the volume of tourists, but the average spending of each of them. And that extra 1.2% of tourists who have visited Spain in 2023 (vs. 2019, previous record) have spent 17% more than in 2019. €108,000 million. And that's the great news.

?Because for more than 20 years we have been talking about quality vs. quantity, about what can be done so that each visitor spends more, to be able to attract tourists with greater purchasing power.

Hotel rates, according to the INE, have increased by 13% in 2021, 17% in 2022 and 14.9% in 2023. For 2024, a somewhat more moderate increase is expected, of around 12%.

But... not everything can be good news: these rate increases have not managed to cushion the rise in costs, so profitability - at least of those listed - is still somewhat below what they obtained in historic 2019.

In any case, being able to increase the average spending per traveler by 17% in a year is the data we should stick with. The adaptation of various destinations, together with the improvement of the accommodation, gastronomic, etc. offer that Spain offers to its visitors, is ensuring that quantity can be combined with quality.

And, as I heard from an expert a long time ago, “why do you have to choose?” Why can't we opt for both? It seems that in Spain, little by little, we are achieving it.

Even so, some challenges remain: Improve Spanish airport connections with more long-haul flights to leading destinations (China, India, the Middle East) with millions of potential visitors. And on the other hand, the training of our industry employees, so that they can offer the service that this type of profile demands.