Spain welcomes record 11.5 million international tourists in July

Spain has already welcomed 58.1 million international tourists this year, putting the country on course to pass 100 million

Spain welcomed a record 11.5 million international tourists in July, with overseas visitors spending more than €18 billion during the month.

The latest figures from Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) show that the number of foreign visitors increased by 4.6% compared with July 2025. It was also higher than the number of tourists who visited Spain during the whole of August last year.

International tourists spent €18.217 billion in Spain during July, 10.9% more than in the same month last year. On average, each visitor spent €1,579, which is €89 more than in July 2025.

Visitors from the Nordic countries spent the most per person, at an average of €1,718, followed by German tourists at €1,447 and British visitors at €1,389.

The rise in spending could be linked to several factors, including higher accommodation and hospitality prices, more expensive flights and longer holidays. There may also be more visitors with greater spending power among those travelling to Spain.

The gap between visitor numbers and spending has been growing for several years. Between 2019 and 2025, total tourist spending increased by 47%, while the number of international arrivals rose by 14.2%.

Spain could be heading for more than 100 million visitors

The record figures are not just limited to July. A total of 58.1 million international tourists have visited Spain between January and July 2026, around 2.5 million more than during the same period last year.

That represents a 4.6% increase and is the highest figure ever recorded for the first seven months of a year. If visitor numbers continue to grow at the current rate, Spain could pass the 100 million mark for the first time before the end of 2026.

The UK, France and Germany were the biggest sources of international visitors in July. Italy recorded the strongest growth among the main markets, with arrivals up 16.9%, followed by Switzerland at 13.2% and the Netherlands at 6.2%. British visitor numbers rose by 5.6%, while arrivals from the US increased by 5.5%.

The Balearic Islands and Catalonia remained the most popular destinations, receiving 2.6 million and 2.4 million visitors respectively.

However, Andalucía and the Valencian Community saw the biggest increases in visitor numbers, both rising by 9.5%. Madrid recorded an 11% increase, while the Canary Islands were the only major destination to see a fall, with international arrivals down 0.7%.

Holiday patterns are changing too. Trips lasting more than two weeks increased by 12.8%, while stays of four to seven nights rose by 8.7%. 

Image: Archive