Spain most sought after, record number of tourists - Second most visited country in the world after France, tourism 13% of GDP
Spain expects a surge in tourism in 2026, after hitting a record 97 million tourists last year, Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu told the media. "If the growth continues, we will reach 100 million foreign tourists, but we are not focused on that," Hereu said, adding that last year's figure represented a 3.5% increase compared to 2024, while tourism revenues rose 6.8% to 135 billion euros ($157 billion).
Spain is the second most visited country in the world after France and tourism is a major source of revenue for the economy, surpassing many other European countries in the last two years. According to tourism alliance Exceltur, the sector accounted for around 13% of Spain's GDP by 2025.
Hereu said that in the first four months of this year - including the busy Easter holiday season - authorities were forecasting a 3.7% increase in visitors from abroad to 26 million people, who expect to spend 35 billion euros, 2.5% more than the same period last year.
The tourism boom has also caused tension in many tourist hotspots due to the indirect effect on housing prices and problems with natural resources. Hereu says Spain is moving away from seasonality, as data shows that tourist spending has increased by 53% in the low and mid seasons compared to the year before the 2019 pandemic, and by 34% in the high season.
Two-thirds of tourists who visited Spain in 2025 intend to return as they see it as a safe place, the minister said, adding that there were no geopolitical problems in the airline industry.
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