Spain logged a record 21.8 million international visitors this summer, official data has revealed, during a period when anti-tourism protests also took place across the country.
The figure is a 7.3% rise on 2023, the national statistics institute (INE) said.
Spain is the world’s second most popular tourist destination after France and in July received 10.9 million visitors and as many again in August, according to the INE.
The tourism minister, Jordi Hereu, called the impact of tourism “a great success for the wellbeing, social cohesion and economic development of Spain” at an event organised by the tourism promotion agency Turespaña in Tenerife, but added that Spain must transform its model for the sector.
The rising number of tourists has not pleased all Spaniards, with protesters making their feelings known in recent months, notably in Barcelona, Málaga and the Canary and Balearic islands.
Protesters complained about the strain on infrastructure and of rising rental prices due to many properties being let to tourists at lucrative prices. Barcelona’s mayor has said the city will end apartment rentals to tourists by 2029.
The most common nationality among visitors to Spain over the summer was British, with 4.17 million UK tourists, followed by France (with 3.75 million visitors), Germany (2.49 million) and Italy (1.35 million). There was also a 13% increase in US tourists to 850,000.
Spain hosted 64.8 million tourists over the first eight months of the year – another record, the INE said. The most popular destinations were Catalonia (the region that includes Barcelona) and the Canary and Balearic islands.
Tourism revenues rose by 17.6% over the eight-month period to €86.7bn (£72bn), the equivalent of €187 spent per tourist a day.
According to Exceltur, an organisation created by Spain’s leading tourism groups, 90 million tourists are expected over the course of 2024.