Spain’s Travel & Tourism sector is forecast to contribute more than €269BN to the national economy in 2026, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The projection represents growth of 4.1%, up from the organisation’s previous forecast of 3.7%.
WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara outlined the sector’s outlook and priorities at the VI Turespaña Convention, which brought together tourism leaders from across Spain.
The projected growth exceeds expectations for Spain’s overall economy, forecast at 2.7%. It also outpaces anticipated Travel & Tourism growth in Europe, at 3.1%, and globally, at 2.5%.
International business travel is expected to provide further momentum. Spending by international business visitors is forecast to increase by 8.1% in 2026, according to WTTC.
WTTC Recognises Spain’s Tourism Policy and Collaboration
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, said: “Spain has shown that when governments and the private sector work together behind a shared vision, Travel & Tourism can become a powerful driver of economic growth, investment and job creation. Under Minister Hereu’s leadership, Spain has continued to strengthen its position as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations while embracing the policies needed to ensure long-term competitiveness and sustainable growth.
We would also like to thank the Madrid City Council and the Regional Government of Madrid for their strong support in establishing WTTC’s global headquarters in Madrid, underscoring their commitment to attracting investment and fostering public-private collaboration.”
Earlier in October, WTTC presented Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, with its Global Champion Award during the organisation’s 26th Global Summit in Malta.
The award recognised Hereu’s leadership in strengthening Spain’s tourism competitiveness and his support for government and private-sector collaboration to promote sustainable Travel & Tourism growth.
Spain’s Tourism Sector Records €259BN Contribution in 2025
The 2026 forecast follows a record year for Spain’s tourism industry. In 2025, Travel & Tourism contributed €259BN to the national economy, equivalent to 15.3% of gross domestic product (GDP).
The sector also supported 3.2 million jobs, accounting for one in every seven jobs in the country.
International visitor spending reached €115.8BN in 2025, the highest total in Europe. Spain received 96.8 million international visitors, making it the world’s second most visited destination, according to the figures cited by WTTC.
Spain accounted for 6.5% of international visitor spending worldwide and 15.6% of the European total. International visitors represented 58.7% of all tourism spending in Spain.
Leisure travel also generated substantial revenue, with international leisure visitor spending reaching €98.5BN.
Spain’s Tourism Recovery Outpaces Europe
WTTC’s figures also highlight Spain’s recovery since the pandemic.
International visitor spending in 2025 was 21% higher than in 2019. This exceeded the European average increase of 2.3% over the same period.
Meanwhile, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to Spain’s GDP stood 19.9% above its pre-pandemic level. Across Europe, the corresponding increase was 6.5%.
WTTC attributes Spain’s tourism performance to a long-term approach centred on investment, connectivity and public-private collaboration. The figures underline the sector’s contribution to the national economy and its recovery relative to the wider European market.
WTTC Identifies Four Priorities for Spain’s Tourism Industry
Looking ahead, WTTC has identified four areas for Spain to address to support the sector’s long-term competitiveness: sustainability, responsible destination management, innovation and talent development.
On sustainability, the organisation emphasises the need to balance social, environmental and economic considerations.
For destination management, WTTC advocates diversifying destinations, reducing seasonality and spreading visitors more widely. It also highlights the importance of residents’ wellbeing.
Digitalisation and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) are further priorities. WTTC calls for greater support to help businesses across the sector adopt these technologies.
The organisation also stresses investment in workforce skills and training, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as the industry responds to changes in the global tourism market.
At the European and global levels, Guevara outlined eight strategic priorities developed by WTTC and its members: seamless and secure travel, investment, connectivity, talent and workforce development, sustainable tourism, destination stewardship, AI adoption and source market diversification.
She said these priorities are important to maintaining the sector’s competitiveness and supporting long-term growth.
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