International visitors drive tourism in Murcia

Data from Exceltur shows that Murcia's tourism sector is set to grow by 8.8% in 2026

Tourism in the Region of Murcia is set to build on a successful 2025. Local businesses are expecting an 8.8% increase in tourism sales in 2026, the second highest in Spain just after Valencia. In 2025, Murcia recorded the strongest growth in this sector among Spain’s coastal destinations, ahead of the Balearic Islands, the Canaries, Andalucía and Cataluña.

These figures come from Exceltur, the Spanish Alliance for Tourism Excellence. They gather information from all the main companies in the sector, including hotels, airlines, car hire firms and travel agencies.

Coastal hotels in the Region performed very well last year, while inland hotels also reported steady growth. Local attractions, entertainment venues and tourist services also saw good results, while transport companies, particularly airlines, reported their strongest results. Car hire firms bounced back after a couple of challenging years, helped by lower fuel costs.

International visitors continue to be the main driver of growth in Murcia, spending more on hotels, dining and experiences than ever before. Strong markets include the UK, Ireland, Portugal, China and Japan. While international tourism is on the rise, domestic visitors dipped slightly, showing how important foreign visitors are to the Region.

 The Region of Murcia International Airport handled just under 950,000 passengers in 2025, with most travel being international.

Overall, Exceltur expects Spain’s tourism GDP to grow again in 2026, with sales and business results continuing to rise. Many companies are planning to invest more in services, technology and efficiency. Regional and local governments are also being encouraged to support infrastructure improvements and continue the crackdown on illegal tourist rentals.

So the outlook for tourism in Murcia is looking pretty good. More visitors are coming, services are getting better, and the local community is seeing the benefits. The balance here feels right, it hasn’t been taken over by mass tourism, it hasn’t become over-commercialised, and the Region has kept its own identity. Hopefully it stays that way.

Image: Archive