The number of foreign tourists who visited Spain in the first nine months of this year increased by 3.5% compared with the same period in 2024 and reached almost 76.5 million people. This is the highest figure in the FRONTUR series compiled by the National Statistics Institute (INE). In September alone, almost 9.7 million foreigners visited Spain – 0.8% more than a year earlier and the highest value ever recorded for this month.
Where tourists come from and which regions of Spain are in the lead
The main countries of origin of foreign visitors in the first nine months of the year were:
- the United Kingdom, with almost 15.3 million visitors and an annual increase of 4%,
- France – more than 10.2 million (–0.1%),
- and Germany – almost 9.5 million (+1.4%).
The leading destinations were:
- Andalusia (11.5 million, +7.3%),
- Catalonia (15.8 million, unchanged compared with 2024),
- and the Balearic Islands (13.7 million, +3%).
What type of accommodation foreign tourists choose
Hotels remain the main accommodation option (more than 50 million tourists), while around 9.4 million preferred to rent a property.
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Another 4 million stayed in their own homes, and 8.2 million with relatives or friends.
Record spending by foreign tourists
Total spending by foreign tourists also reached a record level: between January and September it amounted to €105.828 billion (+7%). British tourists spent the most, accounting for 18% of this amount, followed by Germans (11.7%) and French visitors (8.9%). Spending in September alone is estimated at €13.364 billion, 6% more than a year earlier – also a record for this month.
