SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE/MADRID, 26 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The number of journeys undertaken by residents of the Canary Islands decreased by 5.7% during the second quarter of the year, totalling 1.8 million. In contrast, overall expenditure increased by 12.3%, surpassing 714,077.33 euros, as per data from the Residents’ Tourism Survey (Familitur) published today by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
Overnight stays by Canary Islands residents reached over 6.4 million, marking a decline of 4.4% compared to the same period last year, with an average stay of 3.48 days (-1.43) and an average spend per person of 383.77 euros, representing a drop of 19.2%.
On a national scale, the quantity of trips taken by residents in Spain stood at 45.1 million, a fall of 6.9%, while expenditure increased by 3.9%, exceeding 13.858 billion euros.
The leading autonomous communities for Spanish travellers in the second quarter were Andalusia (16.6% of the total), Catalonia (14.2%), and the Valencian Community (10.4%), with residents from Madrid being the most popular destination.
Spaniards took fewer trips in the second quarter of the year, although their spending rose, partly due to an increase in trips abroad. Out of the over 45 million journeys, nearly 40.5 million occurred within Spain, reflecting an 8.3% reduction. Conversely, overseas trips increased by 7.8%, totalling 4.6 million.
According to the statistical institute’s data, the average length of overnight stays was approximately 3.3 days; domestic trips averaged 2.9 days, while international journeys averaged around 6.2 days.
Leisure, recreation, and holiday travel decreased by 4.9% in the second quarter, and visits to family or friends experienced a decline of 12.3%. Business and other professional travels also saw a reduction of 10.6%.
In terms of accommodation type, domestic trips where residents stayed with relatives or friends dropped by 20.4%. Conversely, hotel stay for trips abroad rose by 13.9%.
ANDALUCIA, CATALONIA AND VALENCIA, THE PREFERENCES.
Regarding the preferred autonomous communities for travel, Andalusia, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community were the top destinations for Spanish travellers during the second quarter.
In terms of origin, trips by residents from the Community of Madrid made up 18.4% of the total. Catalonia (17.9%) and Andalusia (14.6%) followed closely behind.
When adjusting for the size of each community, the most frequent travellers were from the Community of Madrid (1,188 trips per 1,000 inhabitants), followed by the Basque Country (1,119) and Aragon (1,106).
SPENDING INCREASED BY 4%.
Overall travel expenditure in the second quarter reached €13,858.4 million, an increase of 3.9% compared to the same period in 2023. Spending on domestic trips fell by 0.6%, while expenditure on international trips surged by 14.6%.
The Familitur survey indicated an average daily spend of 94 euros. For domestic destinations, the average expenditure was 79 euros, whereas, for trips abroad, Spaniards spent an average of 158 euros per day.
Examining the spending pattern, the highest expenditure for domestic travel was on accommodation, approximately 3.5 billion euros, making up 26.9% of the total, with a year-on-year rise of 1.4%. For journeys abroad, the largest cost was on transport, around 1.433 billion euros, which constitutes 31.5% of the total, marking an increase of 11%.
In terms of destination, the highest average daily expenditures were reported for travel to the Balearic Islands (112 euros), the Basque Country (108 euros), and the Community of Madrid (105 euros). The lowest expenditures were recorded in Extremadura and Castile and Leon (both 61 euros), and Castile-La Mancha (63 euros).
By origin, the highest average daily expenditure was noted among residents of the Canary Islands (110 euros), the Autonomous Community of Navarre (105), and the Balearic Islands (103). The lowest were found in Aragon and Castile and Leon (both 83 euros), and Cantabria (84).