Spain Tourism Spending
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts that by 2025 the travel and tourism sector in Spain could reach a new all-time high, with an estimated contribution of €260.5 billion to GDP, equivalent to almost 16% of the national economy.
WTTC projects that by the end of 2025 the sector will account for 3.2 million jobs in Spain, equivalent to 14.4% of total employment.
By 2025, spending by international tourists is expected to reach €113.2 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 5.7%, while domestic spending could reach 84.9 billion euros, 2.4% more than the previous year.
Julia Simpson, President and CEO of WTTC, said: ‘Spain remains a true global tourism powerhouse. The data reflects a dynamic, resilient and constantly evolving sector, which not only drives economic growth, but also creates quality jobs and promotes regional development.
WTTC projects that by the end of 2025 the sector will account for 3.2 million jobs in Spain, equivalent to 14.4% of total employment.
By 2025, spending by international tourists is expected to reach €113.2 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 5.7%, while domestic spending could reach 84.9 billion euros, 2.4% more than the previous year.
2024
In 2024, the sector achieved its best result since 2019, with a contribution of almost €249 billion to GDP. International tourism spending grew by nearly 11% year-on-year.
The main source countries for arrivals into Spain in 2024 were the United Kingdom (20%), France (14%) and Germany (13%).
The destinations most visited by Spaniards were France (25%), Italy (14%), the United Kingdom (8%) and Portugal (8%).
The next decade
Looking ahead to 2035, the WTTC projects that the tourism sector could contribute €315.7 billion to the GDP, which would represent more than 17% of the Spanish economy, as well as 4 million jobs, 700,000 more than at present.
Regional data: European Union
In 2024, the EU travel and tourism sector contributed almost €1.8 trillion to the region’s GDP, or more than 10% of its economy. This figure exceeded 2019 levels by almost 6%. Employment associated with the sector grew by 4.7%, year-on-year, to 24.6 million jobs, accounting for one in nine jobs across the region.
Domestic travel spending in the EU reached €1 trillion, while spending by international visitors reached €515 billion.
By 2025, WTTC forecasts that the regional sector will reach almost €1.9 trillion, representing 10.5% of the EU economy. Employment linked to the sector is estimated to total 25.7 million people, or 12% of the regional total.
In addition, the agency expects international spending to grow by more than 11% to €573 billion, and domestic spending to increase by 1.6% to more than €1.1 trillion.
Also read WTTC: International Traveller Spend in the UAE to Reach a Record AED 228BN This Year
