Spain welcomed over 11 million international tourists in July, setting a new record for that month. However, traditional markets such as the UK, Germany and France are showing less enthusiasm for Spanish holidays than in the past.
Figures published by Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) confirm 11,023,252 foreign arrivals in July. While this marks an all-time high, growth compared to last year was minimal – just 1.6%. ALSO READ: Spain receives record 63.7 million air passengers to end of July, led by UK visitors.
In the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism surged and became a major engine of Spain’s economic rebound. But the pace has now slowed: July 2024 saw arrivals rise 7.3%, and July 2023 by 11.3%.
From January through July 2025, 55.5 million visitors have travelled to Spain – which is 2.2 million more than the same period in 2024, a modest increase of 4.1%. At the start of the year, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez predicted Spain would hit 100 million international tourists in 2025, but that target looks increasingly unlikely.
Regional data shows mixed results. The Canary Islands recorded 6% growth, Andalusia 5.5%, Valencia 1.4%, and the Balearic Islands 1%. Yet some areas saw declines: international tourism dropped 3.1% in Madrid and 1.2% in Catalonia.
Germany, one of Spain’s biggest source markets, registered a 4.8% drop in visitors in July. Arrivals from France fell 3.1%, and from the UK crept up by only 0.7%. In contrast, there were stronger gains from Portugal (9.5%), the Nordic countries (6.1%), the United States (5.1%), the Netherlands (4.9%) and Italy (2.7%).
Spending by tourists continues to grow despite the slowdown in arrivals. Foreign visitors spent €16.45 billion in July, up 6.1% from the year before. That translates to an average of €1,491 per tourist, or €210 a day for trips lasting roughly one week.
So far this year, international tourism has generated €76.07 billion in revenue, 7.2% higher than the €70.97 billion recorded in 2023.
Analysts suggest the weaker momentum may stem from higher holiday costs in Spain, a possible backlash to widespread anti-tourism demonstrations, and economic pressures linked to US tariff hikes. ALSO READ: Thousands protest against over-tourism in Barcelona & Mallorca, many with water pistols.
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Estadística de Movimientos Turísticos en Fronteras #FRONTUR. Julio 2025 @es_INE
— INE España (@es_INE) September 1, 2025
España recibió 11,0 millones de turistas internacionales en julio, un 1,6% más que en el mismo mes de 2024
Nota de prensa
👇https://t.co/WsRZzS7jIU
Resultados ➡️ https://t.co/CEkHWRP1w5#INE #turismo pic.twitter.com/EBdSCkoKSe
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