SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE/MADRID 3 December (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Canary Islands welcomed a total of 12.3 million international visitors in the first ten months of the year, marking a 9.7% increase compared to the same timeframe last year, with total expenditure soaring to 18.44 billion euros, an increase of 13.1%, according to data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) this Tuesday.
In October alone, the archipelago saw the arrival of 1.3 million international tourists (+7.1%), with an expenditure of 1.888 billion euros, reflecting a rise of 7.7% from the previous year, resulting in an average spending of 1,388 euros per visitor (+0.6%).
The average daily expenditure was recorded at 180 euros, an increase of 2.1%, while the average duration of trips decreased by 1.5% to 7.7 days.
Overall, Spain welcomed 82.9 million tourists up to October, which is a 10.8% rise compared to the same period last year, with total expenditure reaching 110.984 billion euros, a 16.8% increase.
The leading countries of origin were the United Kingdom, which sent 16.5 million tourists (an increase of 7.1%), France (nearly 11.5 million, up by 11.1%) and Germany (around 10.7 million, 8.7% more).
The regions that attracted the most visitors in the first ten months of the year were Catalonia (17.6 million, a rise of 9.9% compared to the same period in 2023), the Balearic Islands (14.9 million, an increase of 6.2%), and the Canary Islands (12.3 million, up by 9.7%).
ALMOST 2 MILLION BRITISH VISITORS IN OCTOBER
Spain attracted a total of 9 million international tourists in October, representing a 9.5% increase compared to the same month in 2023, based on data from the Statistics of Tourist Movements at Borders (Frontur).
During this month, the United Kingdom remained the leading source of tourists to Spain, contributing approximately 1.8 million visitors, an increase of 4.8% from October 2023. Germany sent 1.3 million tourists (14% more) and France contributed nearly 1.2 million (16.7% more).
Hotel accommodations experienced a growth of 6.5%, while rental housing surged by 40%, as reported by the statistical institute, which noted that the most common length of stay among tourists was four to seven nights, totalling over 4.5 million, reflecting an annual increase of 10.5%. The number of visitors who were day-trippers rose by 13%, and those who stayed longer than 15 nights increased by 5.7%.
The statistical institute revealed that nearly 6.5 million tourists travelled without a package in October, marking a 9.8% increase. Over 2.5 million arrived with a tourist package, which is 8.7% more.
Regionally, Catalonia was the top destination for tourists in October, accounting for 20.4% of the total. It was followed by the Balearic Islands (17.8%) and Andalusia (15.3%), according to Frontur data.
There was a 9.4% increase in tourists visiting Catalonia compared to October 2023. The number of visitors to the Balearic Islands rose by 8.3%, while there was a 10.6% increase in tourists arriving in Andalusia.
EXPENDITURE CONTINUES TO RISE, APPROACHING 111,000 MILLION
In the first ten months of 2024, total spending by international tourists grew by 16.8%, reaching 110.984 billion euros, according to the Tourist Expenditure Survey (Egatur) released by the INE, which indicates that the United Kingdom accounted for the highest percentage of total expenditure (18.3%). This was followed by Germany (12.3%) and France (8.9%).
In the same period, the regions with the most accumulated spending were Catalonia (19% of the total), the Balearic Islands (17.6%), and the Canary Islands (16.6%).
Total spending by international visitors to Spain in October amounted to 11.898 billion euros, representing a growth of 15.5% compared to the same month in 2023.
Consequently, the average expenditure per tourist was 1,327 euros, reflecting an annual increase of 5.5%. Average daily spending rose by 2.9% to 191 euros.
The leading countries in terms of spending levels in October included the United Kingdom (17.9% of the total), Germany (14.0%), and France (7.7%). Spending by UK tourists increased by 10.4% year-on-year, while that of German tourists rose by 23.5% and French visitors increased by 16.3%.
Expenditure on international transport (not included in the tourist package) comprised the largest share in October, accounting for 20.8% of total spending, a rise of 16.7% compared to October 2023.
Other significant expenditure categories included activities and tourist packages, which made up 19.4% and 18.3% of the total, respectively. The expenditure on activities grew by 11.3%, while that on tourist packages increased by 17.2%.
A significant 65.5% of total expenditure in October was attributed to tourists who opted for hotel accommodation, marking a year-on-year increase of 12.6%. In contrast, spending on non-market accommodation grew by 5.8%.
Spending by tourists travelling without a package rose by 15.5% annually. The number of tourists who booked packages also increased by 15.4%, as reported by the INE.
Regarding the purpose of their visit, those travelling for leisure accounted for 85.3% of total expenditure, with their spending 16.7% higher than in October 2023.
The autonomous communities with the highest expenditures in October were the Balearic Islands (17.9% of the total), Catalonia (17.6%), and the Canary Islands (15.9%). Tourist spending in the Balearic Islands increased by 22.1% annually, by 9.7% in Catalonia and by 7.7% in the Canary Islands, according to INE data.