The analysis of the 19 countries studied in the files - 15 European, three Asian (China, Japan and South Korea) and one American (United States) - shows the consolidation of the United Kingdom, Germany and France as the main markets for tourists to Spain, the decisive rebound of the Asian market, with China at the forefront, and the strong rebound of the United States.
For the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Héctor Gómez, "the recovery of the Asian market, mainly of tourists from China, is excellent news for our tourism. In 2023, with this summer's additions, we will recover 80% of pre-pandemic connections, and 2024 will surely be the year of full consolidation of this important market for our country".
Recovery of the Asian market
The number of tourists from China has increased by 420% in the first half of 2023 and spending by 592%, compared to the same period last year, according to data estimated by Turespaña based on INE microdata.
Due to the severe restrictions imposed by the Asian country's government due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both growth and spending rates were relatively low in 2022 compared to other countries, which has had an impact on this year's strong growth figures. Today, there are no longer any restrictions on the arrival of Chinese tourists, and the Chinese authorities require only an antigen test for their return.
In addition, Spain is once again a tourist destination with Approved Destination Status (which includes countries to which China allows group travel).
The other two major Asian countries of origin of tourists to Spain have also experienced strong growth in the first half of the year. The flow of tourists from South Korea has increased by 258.4% and spending by 215% compared to the same six month period of the previous year. Japan also continues to show very high growth figures (200% in arrivals and 134% in expenditure), as it did in 2022, according to data estimated by Turespaña based on INE microdata.
US boom
Of the countries analysed by Turespaña, the increase in visitors from the United States stands out among those from the American continent. Tourist arrivals of this nationality have increased by 54.7% compared to the first half of 2022. In addition, total US tourist spending grew by 61% compared to the same period last year. It should also be noted that in 2023 it has 23 direct routes between US and Spanish destinations, one more than in 2022.
"The US market is of paramount importance for our tourism sector. Its progressive and remarkable recovery speaks highly of Spain's capacity to generate tourism proposals that aspire to excellence. We are a safe, sustainable and modern destination that the American tourist, with high purchasing power and high quality standards, chooses as one of their favourite countries for enjoying holidays in Europe. This is a triumph for the country," affirms Héctor Gómez.
He also stresses that "the American is a very interesting tourist who spends significantly more than the average spend of other markets and prefers local experiences, such as culture and gastronomy. Therefore, it is a more seasonally adjusted tourist than the one who comes more focused on the sun and beach months".
United Kingdom, Germany and France
The United Kingdom, Germany and France continue to be the main countries of origin of tourists to Spain. The UK is the leader of the three. In the first six months of the year, the British market is the leading market both in terms of tourist expenditure, accounting for 18% of the total, and in terms of tourist inflow, 20.7% of the total. In this six-month period, visitors from the UK have increased by 19.8% compared to 2022 and have spent 16% more.
Germany, meanwhile, is in second place in terms of expenditure (up 12.7% in this half year compared to 2022) and third place in terms of visitors (up 12.9%). In terms of growth, tourists arriving from Germany have increased by 10.8% in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year, and have also spent 12% more.
France is the third market in terms of tourist expenditure (after the United Kingdom and Germany), accounting for 7.9% of the total, and the second country in terms of tourist flows (13% of all visitors). French tourist arrivals have also experienced a remarkable growth in the first half of the year, up 23.3%, as has their spending, which has increased by 24%.
Other European markets
In the cumulative data for 2023, Portugal shows a significant growth compared to 2022, both in terms of tourist flows (+27.1%) and, above all, in terms of expenditure (+47.4%). Spain is the number one destination for the Portuguese abroad and the number one recipient country for their spending.
Another interesting market is the Netherlands. The figures for Dutch arrivals to Spain in 2022, with more than 3.9 million, far exceed the 3.6 million in 2019, demonstrating a full recovery of this outbound market to Spain after the pandemic. And in the first six months the figures continue to grow compared to the same period in 2022, both in terms of tourist flow (+0.5%) and expenditure (+3.7%).
Through these executive files, Turespaña disseminates and makes its knowledge and tourist intelligence available to the professional sector and the rest of the Public Administrations in order to carry out better work and attract tourists to our country.
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