The Spanish Ministry of Tourism has revealed that between January and September this year, Spain hosted 73.2 million international passengers.
This number represents a 19.1 per cent increase compared to the same period in the previous year. However, when compared to the pre-pandemic period in 2019, arrivals remain 1.5 per cent lower.
According to data released by Turespaña, the Spanish government’s agency for promoting tourism, in September 2023 alone, Spain welcomed 9.6 million passengers from international airports, showing a ten per cent increase compared to the same month last year.
The same source revealed that, in September of this year, 55.9 per cent of all passengers arriving in Spain were from countries within the European Union, experiencing a 13.1 per cent increase compared to the same month last year.
The remaining 44.1 per cent of passengers came from countries outside the EU, showing a 13.3 per cent increase compared to the same month last year.
The diversification of origin markets, with more tourists coming from various places, is excellent news for the image of an industry experiencing a profound revolution in terms of the quality of destinations and available travel experiences for travellers.
In September, almost all major countries sending tourists to Spain saw significant growth, surpassing a ten per cent increase from the previous year.
Leading this surge was Poland, which registered a remarkable 34.3 per cent increase, followed by Portugal and Italy, with growth rates of 18.6 per cent and 17.7 per cent, respectively.
Furthermore, Turespaña revealed that, in September, the Balearic Islands emerged as a preferred destination for international tourists, reflecting a noticeable trend in Spain’s top travel choices.
The United Kingdom, with 2.2 million international passengers, made up 23.4 per cent of arrivals in the Balearic Islands in September, a substantial 9.6 per cent increase from the same month last year.
Passenger arrivals from Germany totalled 1.4 million (a ten per cent increase from the same month last year), representing 15 per cent of the overall count. Nearly half of them chose the Balearic Islands at 46.4 per cent.
Furthermore, Italy contributed 900,000 visitors (a 17.7 per cent increase from the same month last year), benefiting Catalonia and Madrid. Whereas France accounted for 7.4 per cent of total passengers, with a 10.8 per cent increase, favouring Catalonia and Madrid.
As international passenger arrivals increase compared to last year, SchengenVisaInfo.com previously reported that Spain’s cultural tourism is also returning and surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Around 19 per cent of international tourists reached Spain for cultural experiences in 2022.
