Record tourism in Spain: a blessing and a curse for local communities

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 09. 03. 11:09

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July 2024 was a historic month for tourism in Spain: never before have so many tourists visited the country as this month. According to the data of the Spanish statistical office, INE, 10.851 million tourists arrived in the country, which means an increase of 7.3% compared to the previous year. This explosive growth has had a major economic impact, but it has also brought significant challenges to local communities.

In July, the largest number of tourists came from the United Kingdom, with more than 2 million, while France and Germany also sent significant numbers of visitors to Spain. The Balearic Islands, Catalonia and the Autonomous Community of Valencia were the most popular destinations, receiving millions of tourists.

Visitors not only came in large numbers, but also spent lavishly. In July of this year, tourists spent a total of 15.54 billion euros, which represented an increase of 11.9% compared to the previous year. This means that an average of 1,432 euros was spent per person. In the first seven months of the year, a total of 53.4 million tourists visited Spain, an increase of 12%, and they left a total of 71.1 billion euros in the country.

However, the explosive growth of tourism has its downsides. In particular, the city of Barcelona became the center of attention, where the locals protested several times against the effects of the influx of tourists. The cost of living in Barcelona has risen significantly in recent years, and locals say tourism only adds to prices and social inequality.