The number of international tourists who visited Spain in 2023 exceeded 85 million for the first time since statistical records began. A figure -85,056,528 visitors- that represents 18.7% more than in 2022 and 1.9% above 2019, until now the pre-pandemic reference year. In addition, Spain has broken a record for tourist spending, with 108,662 million euros, 24.7% more than in 2022 and 18.2% higher than in 2019, according to data published today by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). ).
The average expenditure per traveler and expenditure per day, two data that illustrate higher quality tourism and focus the policy efforts of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, also offer hopeful figures in 2023. Each tourist has spent an average of 1,278 euros , 5.1% more than last year and 16.1% more than in 2019. Spending per day also reflects this growth, reaching 175 euros, which is 8% more than in 2022 and 13. 1% more than in 2019. Likewise, the average stay, a very important parameter to measure the satisfaction of the tourists who visit us and the quality of the Spanish tourism industry, also increases to 7.3 days (in 2019 the average was 7.1 days).
The United Kingdom continues to lead the list of sending countries last year, with 17.3 million tourists, an increase of 14.6% compared to 2022. Regarding spending at the destination, United Kingdom citizens spent more than 19,000 in 2023 million euros, 16.3% more than in 2022 and 11.8% above 2019.
France has provided 11.8 million tourists to Spain last year, a growth of 17% over 2022 and 6% over 2019. Regarding the annual spending of French tourists, this amounts to 9,767 million euros, higher than 19.7% by 2022 and by 28.6% compared to 2019.
For its part, Germany has grown by 10.6% compared to 2022, up to 10.8 million international tourists; tourists who spent more than 12.9 billion euros in the accumulated 12 months, which implies a 12.6% year-on-year increase and 11.1% more when compared to 2019.
At the head of the countries with the highest growth in 2023 is the United States, whose nationals visiting Spain have increased by 38.7% compared to 2022 and 16.9% compared to 2019. The US is also one of the markets with the highest increase in spending at destination in 2023: more than 7.8 billion euros, which means 50% more compared to 2022 and 36.4% compared to 2019. Expanding the focus to the entire American continent, the increase in tourists from that area of the world is 31.9% compared to 2022. After the US, Switzerland – with a significant increase of more than 20% in tourists – is another of the countries that has experienced the greatest growth last year.
Regarding last December, Spain received 5.2 million international tourists in December 2023, 26.2% more than in the same month of 2022. In relation to total spending, in December it increased by 35 .4% and reached 7,093 million euros.