In 2025, Spain welcomed a record number of foreign tourists and became one of the world's top three countries in terms of tourist revenue. Tourism has become one of the key drivers of the country's economy, while also creating new challenges for cities and local residents. Find out more about the main tourism highlights of 2025 in Spain and the world

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2025 was a landmark year for the Spanish tourism industry. The country has not only fully recovered from pandemic restrictions, but has also updated its own historical records in terms of the number of foreign visitors and tourism revenues.

The active growth of tourist traffic has affected not only the economy but also the life of large cities, popular resorts, and regions where the tourist boom is increasingly felt by local residents. This article contains key figures, facts and trends that show why 2025 was a record year for Spain and global tourism in general.

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How many tourists visited Spain in 2025?

In 2025, Spain received 96.8 million foreign tourists, a new historical record for the country. Compared to 2024, the tourist flow increased by 3.2%, which confirms a steady recovery and further growth in demand for travel to Spain.

Key facts for the year:

- 96.8 million international arrivals - an absolute record;

- +3.2% compared to 2024;

- the third record year after 2019, indicating the full recovery of the tourism industry after the pandemic.

These figures show that Spain has not only returned to pre-pandemic volumes, but has reached a new level of tourist attractiveness - both for short city trips and for long-term vacations on the coast.

How much money did tourism bring to the Spanish economy in 2025?

In 2025, tourism became one of the key drivers of the Spanish economy. Revenues from foreign tourists grew faster than the tourist flow itself, which indicates not only an increase in the number of travelers but also an increase in their spending during their travels.

Key economic indicators:

- Revenues from foreign tourists - EUR 134.7 billion (+6.8% yoy);

- The total economic contribution of tourism (direct and indirect) is about 260 billion euros;

- Tourism accounts for 12.6% of Spain's GDP.

In fact, every eighth euro in the country's economy in 2025 was related to the tourism industry. This scale makes tourism a critical sector for the budget, employment, and regional development, especially in resort and coastal areas.

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Spain's place in the world tourism ranking

In 2025, Spain became one of the world leaders in the tourism industry not only in terms of the number of visitors but also in terms of tourism revenues. In terms of financial performance, the country ranked 3rd in the world, behind only the UK and France.

This means that Spain is among the top 3 destinations that earn the most from international tourism, ahead of dozens of other popular tourist destinations. This result confirms the stable demand for Spain as a mass tourist destination and as a country for more expensive travel formats: city tourism, gastronomic trips and resort vacations.

The most popular regions of Spain among tourists in 2025

Tourist flows in Spain in 2025 were concentrated primarily in several regions that traditionally attract the most foreign visitors due to a combination of beach holidays, urban tourism and developed infrastructure.

The most visited regions are:

1. Catalonia - 20.1 million tourists;

2. Balearic Islands - consistently among the leaders of summer vacation;

3. The Canary Islands are one of the main destinations for winter tourism.

This distribution of tourist flow demonstrates that Spain remains a universal destination all year round: The Balearics and Catalonia are active in the summer season, while the Canary Islands maintain high demand in the colder months due to their mild climate.

What countries did most tourists come to Spain from in 2025?

The main flow of foreign tourists in 2025 was formed by European countries, from which Spain is most conveniently accessible by air and land. They accounted for the largest share of visitors and stable demand throughout the year.

Top countries by number of tourists:

1. Great Britain - 19 million visitors;

2. France - 12.7 million;

3. Germany - 12 million.

Together, these three countries accounted for a significant portion of all foreign tourist arrivals to Spain. This structure explains why flights to London, Paris and German cities remain one of the most active in Europe, and demand for short city trips and seaside vacations from these destinations is consistently high.

2025 as a record year for global tourism

2025 was a record year not only for Spain but also for international tourism in general. After several years of recovery, the industry has reached new highs in terms of the number of trips and economic contribution.

Key global indicators:

1. 1.52 billion people traveled abroad;

2. The contribution of tourism to the global economy reached about 10 trillion euros, which is 10.3% of global GDP;

3. Europe remained the most popular region for travel - 793 million tourists.

These figures confirm that demand for international travel remained very high in 2025. For European countries, including Spain, this meant increased competition between destinations, but at the same time a steady inflow of tourists throughout most of the year.

In the material available at the link, we have created a selection of 5 underrated European destinations that can surprise even experienced travelers.

Countries with the fastest growth in tourist arrivals in 2025

In 2025, the highest growth rates in the number of foreign tourists were shown by destinations that were able to offer travelers exciting events, new tourist attractions, or unique natural phenomena. This was an additional incentive for travel.

Countries leading in terms of tourist flow growth and reasons for popularity:

- Brazil - +37% due to large-scale cultural events, the Rio Carnival, Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana Beach and the status of the UNESCO World Book Capital in 2025.

- Iceland - +29% (the best performance in Europe) amid peak solar activity, brighter northern lights, and interest in the upcoming total solar eclipse in 2026.

- Egypt - +20% after the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in late 2025.

- Japan - +17% due to the restoration of tourist infrastructure and high interest in cultural events.

This growth shows that tourists are increasingly choosing destinations with a clear information reason - events, the opening of new facilities or rare natural phenomena, and not just classic resort routes.

Other destinations with a significant increase in tourist demand in 2025

In addition to the countries leading in terms of growth rates, other destinations recorded a significant increase in the number of foreign tourists in 2025. Some of them are actively developing tourism infrastructure, while others are benefiting from exoticism or pent-up demand after the pandemic years.

Destinations with active growth in tourist traffic:

1. Morocco - +14%;

2. Seychelles - +13%;

3. Bhutan - +30%;

4. Guyana - +24%;

5. South Africa - +19%.

The growing interest in these countries indicates that tourists in 2025 increasingly chose alternative and less popular destinations. This partially relieves the pressure on popular resorts and shapes new travel trends for 2026.

The downside of the tourism boom in Spain

Record tourist arrivals in 2025 had not only positive economic consequences for Spain. The active growth in the number of visitors has increased the burden on the infrastructure of large cities and resorts, and exacerbated the problem of housing affordability for local residents.

The most noticeable consequences of the tourism boom:

- The rapid spread of short-term rentals in popular city districts;

- Rising housing and rental prices in tourist centers;

- Increased social tension and discontent among local residents due to “displacement” from central areas.

In many popular cities, tourist demand has begun to compete with the needs of local residents for housing, which is gradually changing the urban environment. This problem is increasingly becoming the subject of public debate and the search for a balance between tourism development and the quality of life of communities.

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