Spain welcomed a record number of 94 million foreign tourists last year, compared to 85.1 million in 2023, the year of the previous record, according to a first estimate announced Wednesday by the Spanish Minister of Tourism.
Spain welcomed “around 94 million international visitors during the year 2024, which represents a growth of 10% compared to 2023”said Jordi Hereu during a press conference.
The country “continues to break records in terms of welcoming international tourism” and confirms its role “leading” in the tourism sector, welcomed the minister, emphasizing the significant economic benefits for Spain.
The country, second tourist destination behind France, which received 98 million visitors in 2023 according to the public agency Atout France, thus garnered 126 billion euros in revenue thanks to foreign visitors, compared to 108 billion a year ago. .
In its latest report, published at the beginning of December, the professional association Mesa del Turismo had bet on welcoming 95 million visitors in 2024, for a level of spending of 200 billion euros including that of national tourists.
This record attendance is good news for the Spanish economy, which is expected to record growth of 3.1% in 2024 according to the Bank of Spain – a level significantly higher than that of the euro zone, where growth is expected to plateau at 0.8% according to the European Central Bank.
But it arouses strong tensions within the population, who denounce its negative effects, particularly on housing – the proliferation of tourist apartments being accused of causing rents to soar by reducing the number of housing available for residents.
This situation pushed Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to announce on Monday a new battery of measures, including an increase in taxation on tourist rentals and a sharp increase in the tax on housing purchased by non-EU citizens not residing in Spain. , which could reach 100% of the value of the property.