tourism income spain

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Tourism sector in Spain - statistics & facts

Who visits spain the most, how popular is domestic tourism in spain, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Quarterly travel and tourism balance of payments in Spain 2018-2022

Tourism premises in Spain 2015-2021

Tourism employment in Spain 2020-2021

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Inbound tourism volume in Spain 2022, by origin

Tourism contribution to Spanish GDP 2006-2023

Destinations

Inbound tourism volume in Spain 2022, by region of destination

Related topics

Tourism in spain.

• Inbound tourism in Spain
• National tourism in Spain
• Tourism in Barcelona
• Travel and tourism in the Canary Islands

Tourism in Europe

• Travel and tourism in Europe
• Backpacking in Europe
• Wine tourism in European countries
• Cruise industry in Europe
• Overtourism in European destinations

Travel trends

• Subscription model in the travel industry
• Mobile travel trends
• Travel and tourism in the metaverse
• Artificial intelligence (AI) use in travel and tourism

Recommended statistics

• Premium Statistic Leading European countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021
• Premium Statistic Tourism contribution to Spanish GDP 2006-2023
• Premium Statistic Tourism sector as share of GDP in Spain 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Monthly growth rate of tourism GDP in Spain 2022
• Premium Statistic Tourism employment in Spain 2015-2021
• Premium Statistic Tourism employment in Spain Q4 2022, by industry

Leading European countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021

Leading European countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) in 2021

Contribution of the tourism sector to the gross domestic product in Spain from 2006 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 (in billion euros)

Tourism sector as share of GDP in Spain 2010-2021

Contribution of tourism to gross domestic product in Spain from 2010 to 2021

Monthly growth rate of tourism GDP in Spain 2022

Percentage change in the contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Spain from January to December 2022

Tourism employment in Spain 2015-2021

Number of employees in the tourism sector in Spain from 2015 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Tourism employment in Spain Q4 2022, by industry

Number of people working in the tourism sector in Spain in 4th quarter 2022, by industry (in 1,000s)

Tourism volume and expenditures

• Premium Statistic Inbound visitors in Spain 2000-2022
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism volume in Spain 2022, by origin
• Premium Statistic International tourism spending in Spain 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Domestic trips in Spain 2015-2022
• Premium Statistic Domestic trips in Spain 2022, by destination
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourism spending in Spain 2015-2022
• Basic Statistic Share of travel and tourism spending in Spain 2022, by traveler origin

Inbound visitors in Spain 2000-2022

Number of international visitors in Spain from 2000 to 2022 (in millions)

Number of international tourists in Spain in 2022, by country of residence (in 1,000s)

International tourism spending in Spain 2012-2022

Expenditure of international tourists in Spain from 2012 to 2022 (in billion euros)

Domestic trips in Spain 2015-2022

Number of domestic trips in Spain in 2015 to 2022 (in millions)

Domestic trips in Spain 2022, by destination

Number of domestic trips in Spain in 2022, by autonomous community of destination (in millions)

Domestic tourism spending in Spain 2015-2022

Expenditure of domestic tourists in Spain from 2015 to 2022 (in billion euros)

Share of travel and tourism spending in Spain 2022, by traveler origin

Distribution of expenditure by tourists in Spain in 2022, by main origin

• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism volume in Spain 2022, by travel reason
• Premium Statistic Domestic trips in Spain 2022, by travel reason
• Basic Statistic Share of travel and tourism spending in Spain 2022, by purpose
• Premium Statistic Inbound trips for cultural purposes to Spain 2010-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of enotourists in Spain 2008-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of skiers and snowboarders in Spain 2010-2022
• Premium Statistic Pilgrims on the Way of Saint James 2011-2022

Inbound tourism volume in Spain 2022, by travel reason

Number of international tourists in Spain in 2022, by travel purpose (in 1,000s)

Domestic trips in Spain 2022, by travel reason

Number of domestic trips in Spain in 2022, by travel purpose (in millions)

Share of travel and tourism spending in Spain 2022, by purpose

Distribution of expenditure by tourists in Spain in 2022, by main travel purpose

Inbound trips for cultural purposes to Spain 2010-2022

Number of trips for cultural reasons made by international tourists to Spain from 2010 to 2022 (in 1,000s)

Number of enotourists in Spain 2008-2022

Number of visitors to wineries and wine museums in Spain from 2008 to 2022 (in 1,000s)

Number of skiers and snowboarders in Spain 2010-2022

Number of visitors to ski resorts in Spain from 2010/2011 to 2021/2022 (in 1,000s)

Pilgrims on the Way of Saint James 2011-2022

Number of pilgrims who traveled to Santiago de Compostela, Spain from 2011 to 2022

• Premium Statistic Tourism premises in Spain 2015-2021
• Premium Statistic Share of tourism companies in Spain 2021, by size
• Premium Statistic Main hotel groups in Spain FY2021, by sales revenue
• Premium Statistic Main passenger airlines in Spain 2022
• Premium Statistic Main travel agencies in Spain FY2021, by sales revenue
• Premium Statistic Main restaurants and food stall companies in Spain FY2021, by sales revenue
• Premium Statistic Ecotourism businesses' average revenue in Spain 2022, by type

Number of establishments in the tourism sector in Spain from 2015 to 2021

Share of tourism companies in Spain 2021, by size

Distribution of businesses in the tourism sector in Spain in 2021, by size

Main hotel groups in Spain FY2021, by sales revenue

Leading hotel companies in Spain in FY2021, based on sales revenue (in million euros)

Main passenger airlines in Spain 2022

Leading airlines in Spain in 2022, based on number of passengers (in millions)

Main travel agencies in Spain FY2021, by sales revenue

Leading travel agencies in Spain in FY2021, based on sales revenue (in million euros)

Main restaurants and food stall companies in Spain FY2021, by sales revenue

Leading restaurant and food stall companies in Spain in FY2021, based on sales revenue (in million euros)

Ecotourism businesses' average revenue in Spain 2022, by type

Average revenue of ecotourism establishments in Spain in 2022, by type (in 1,000 euros)

Main destinations

• Premium Statistic Main coastal destinations in Spain 2022, by number of hotel guests
• Premium Statistic Most visited cities in Spain 2022
• Premium Statistic Attendance to Spanish National Heritage sites 2022
• Premium Statistic Attendance to Spanish national parks 2022
• Premium Statistic Cruise ship calls at Spanish ports 2022, by authority
• Premium Statistic Enotourism destination areas in Spain 2022, by region

Main coastal destinations in Spain 2022, by number of hotel guests

Leading beach destinations in Spain in 2022, based on number of overnight tourists in hotels (in 1,000s)

Most visited cities in Spain 2022

Leading city destinations in Spain in 2022, by number of tourists (in 1,000s)

Attendance to Spanish National Heritage sites 2022

Number of visitors to National Heritage sites in Spain in 2022 (in 1,000s)

Attendance to Spanish national parks 2022

Number of visitors to national parks in Spain in 2022 (in 1,000s)

Cruise ship calls at Spanish ports 2022, by authority

Number of cruise vessels calling at ports in Spain in 2022, by port authority

Enotourism destination areas in Spain 2022, by region

Number of Wine Routes in Spain in 2022, by autonomous community

Online travel market

• Premium Statistic Quarterly online revenue of accommodation businesses in Spain 2014-2022
• Premium Statistic Quarterly online revenue of travel agencies & tours operators in Spain 2014-2022
• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue in Spain 2015-2020
• Premium Statistic Willingness to purchase tourism services online in Spain 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Average spend on tourism services booked online in Spain 2018-2022
• Premium Statistic Hotel / private accommodation online bookings by brand in Spain 2023

Quarterly online revenue of accommodation businesses in Spain 2014-2022

E-commerce revenue of hotels and similar establishments in Spain from 1st quarter 2014 to 4th quarter 2022 (in million euros)

Quarterly online revenue of travel agencies & tours operators in Spain 2014-2022

E-commerce revenue of travel agencies and tour operators in Spain from 1st quarter 2014 to 4th quarter 2022 (in million euros)

Airbnb revenue in Spain 2015-2020

Revenue of Airbnb in Spain in 2015, 2019, and 2020 (in million euros)

Willingness to purchase tourism services online in Spain 2019-2022

Share of individuals who intended to buy travel products and services online in Spain from 2019 to 2022

Average spend on tourism services booked online in Spain 2018-2022

Average spend on travel products and services bought online in Spain from 2018 to 2022 (in euros)

Hotel / private accommodation online bookings by brand in Spain 2023

Hotel / private accommodation online bookings by brand in Spain as of December 2023

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Tourism in Spain

The most popular destinations in spain, development of the tourism sector in spain from 1995 to 2021.

Revenues from tourism

All data for Spain in detail

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Spain Tourism Revenue

• Spain's Tourism Revenue reached 6 USD bn in Jan 2024, compared with 6 USD bn in the previous month
• Spain's Tourism Revenue data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1993 to Jan 2024
• The data reached an all-time high of 11,937 USD mn in Jul 2023 and a record low of 0 USD mn in May 2020

View Spain's Tourism Revenue from Jan 1993 to Jan 2024 in the chart:

What was Spain's Tourism Revenue in Jan 2024?

Spain's Tourism Revenue reached 6 USD bn in Jan 2024, compared with 6 USD bn in the previous month See the table below for more data.

Tourism Revenue by Country Comparison

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Spain's 2023 tourism revenue seen 5% higher than before pandemic

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• 2022 tourism revenues were 2.1% below 2019 level
• 2023 forecast could see tourism account for 12.2% of GDP

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The first trucks carrying food aid entered Gaza through the newly opened northern crossing point on Thursday, the military said on Friday, as Israel stepped up supplies following mounting pressure to ease the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

Spain’s tourism renaissance will drive economic growth this year

The recovery of the tourism sector in Spain is expected to continue, putting the industry at the centre of economic growth this year. However, due to macroeconomic uncertainty, high price pressure in the sector and lagging long-haul travel, it may take until 2024 for the number of international visitors to return to pre-pandemic levels

Spain's tourism revival expected to continue despite macroeconomic challenges

Despite macroeconomic challenges, Spain's tourism sector rebounded strongly in 2022. The country saw a remarkable increase in the number of international visitors, rising by 130% from 31.2 million in 2021 to 71.6 million in 2022, showing a strong appetite to travel again after two years of strict travel restrictions. Although disposable income was under severe pressure in many European countries last year, consumers refused to cut back on their travel spending. That being said, the number of international tourists entering Spain still remained 14% below pre-pandemic levels, proving that there is still a long way to go to full recovery.

Number of international visitors entering Spain, in absolute values and as % of 2019 levels

Challenges on the horizon: factors hindering the growth of international tourism in spain.

There are several factors that could hamper the growth of international tourism. One is that for Spain's main source countries, the UK and Germany, which accounted for 22% and 13% of international visitors in 2019 respectively, the economic outlook looks bleak. In the UK, the cost-of-living crisis has hit hard and we expect the UK economy to grow by only 0.2% this year. Meanwhile, the German economy has contracted over the past two quarters and is officially in a technical recession. We expect economic growth in Germany to stagnate this year. While the sharp fall in purchasing power is not currently deterring Europeans from travelling, it could cause price-sensitive travellers to swap Spain for cheaper destinations.

Unfavourable exchange rates are also encouraging British travellers to choose Turkey over southern European countries including Spain. A recent report by the European Travel Commission showed that Turkey had 69% more arrivals from the UK in the first quarter of this year than in 2019, while the number of arrivals in Spain was lower than in 2019. This shift in preference can be attributed to the significant price difference. The depreciation of sterling against the euro, combined with the continued devaluation of the Turkish lira against the euro, has made travelling to Turkey much more affordable for British tourists than visiting southern European countries such as Spain.

Another factor hampering recovery is the current travel restrictions on Russian travellers. In 2019, Spain welcomed 1.3 million visitors from Russia, accounting for about 1.6% of total tourist arrivals. This particular group of visitors will be completely absent in 2023. And Spain will not get a boost from Chinese tourism this year either. Although Chinese tourists are eager to travel again, they are favouring domestic trips or visits to neighbouring countries. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Spain was relatively modest even before the pandemic: about one million Chinese tourists travelled to Spain in 2019, which was only 1.3% of the total number of visitors that year.

Business travel to Spain bounces back to pre-pandemic levels

Spain is witnessing a remarkable recovery in business travel after the sharp decline during the pandemic. In the first quarter of 2023, the number of international business travellers increased by 48% compared to the same period last year, returning to pre-pandemic levels. Business travellers represent a significant proportion of the total number of visitors. In 2019, 5.4 million foreign visitors visited Spain for professional reasons, or 6.5% of the total number of foreign visitors in 2019. This means that more than one international arrival in 20 comes to Spain for business reasons.

Last year, business travel recovered more slowly than leisure travel. Due to the shift online during the pandemic, many companies became more selective about the necessity and frequency of business travel, opting more for digital meetings or conferences. In addition, economic uncertainty and the energy crisis also caused a pullback in business travel at the turn of the year. While business travel was already at 96% of its pre-crisis level in October 2022, it fell to 74% in December as many companies adopted cost-saving measures and reduced their travel budgets.

Business travel has been steadily catching up since the beginning of this year. The Spanish economy has recovered strongly from the energy crisis, growing by 0.5% in the first quarter, and business confidence has returned. In March, the number of international business travellers was already back to 94% of the 2019 level. We expect that the recovery will persist throughout this year, resulting in half a million additional business travellers visiting Spain compared to 2022. Towards the end of the year, however, we might see a slight decline again if the pace of recovery slows and the US economy falls into recession.

Number of international visitors coming to Spain for professional reasons, in % of their number in 2019

Outlook for international travel in 2023.

Despite the headwinds, the first months of 2023 already showed a promising start for international tourism in Spain this year. In the first quarter, the number of foreign visitors reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels. Falling energy prices and stable labour market conditions may have underpinned the tourism sector. If this trend continues into the summer peak, it is likely that tourism figures in the summer months could match or even exceed 2019 levels for the first time.

The recovery in international travel is expected to continue into 2023, albeit at a slower pace than last year. The tourism sector is benefiting from continued strong travel appetite and a slightly improved economic outlook, thanks to a sharp fall in energy prices. However, persistent macroeconomic concerns will slow the pace of recovery, especially in the second half of this year. All in all, we expect a total of 80.7 million tourists to visit Spain in 2023, up by 13% from the previous year but still 3% below the pre-pandemic level. It will probably take until 2024 for the annual number of international tourists to reach 2019 levels again.

Number of international visitors entering Spain each year, including ING forecast (in millions)

Inflationary challenges in the tourism sector remain elevated.

Inflation in the tourism sector remains stubbornly high, with significant pressure on all tourism activities. The consumer price index (CPI) for tourism and hospitality, a specific category within the broader index measuring price changes for tourism and hospitality-related goods and services, stood at 8.1% in April. This figure is just slightly below the peak level of 8.5% recorded in August 2022. Since the start of the pandemic, prices for tourism products and services have risen by an average of 16%.

Inflationary pressures can be attributed to two main factors. First, there are general inflationary pressures due to the increased cost of labour, raw materials and other inputs, which are passed on to consumers. In addition, sustained high demand and consumers' increased willingness to spend on travel and accommodation have given travel and accommodation providers greater pricing power. This allows them to capitalise on this higher demand by raising prices more easily.

Price pressures in the tourism sector show no signs of cooling yet

Increased price levels also have negative consequences. They may lead to a drop in domestic demand, especially among price-conscious travellers or those with limited disposable income. Moreover, potential international visitors may opt for alternative destinations that offer similar travel experiences at more affordable prices. Those who still visit Spain will adjust their spending patterns to mitigate the impact of high prices.

In March, foreign tourists spent an average of €168 per day, up 7% from March 2022. However, given average inflation of 8.1% in the tourism sector, this equates to a 1% drop in real spending. It seems that, in order to cope with significant price increases, visitors are cutting back on certain expenses, such as choosing cheaper accommodation, budget-friendly restaurants and cost-effective activities. In addition, many travellers shorten their trips as another effective strategy to reduce overall travel costs. While the average duration of a trip was 8.0 days in March last year, it has now dropped to 7.6 days.

Tourism will be the main catalyst for economic growth this year

Tourism is a significant contributor to Spain's GDP. According to data from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), for the year 2019, tourism represented 12.4% of Spain's GDP. This includes the direct impact of sectors such as accommodation, catering, transport and tourist attractions. Taking into account indirect effects as well, tourism's total contribution to Spanish GDP reached 15.2%.

Further recovery of the tourism sector will play a central role in the country’s growth this year. After a significant decline during the pandemic, Spanish tourism could further restore its importance to the Spanish economy. With household consumption declining and expected interest rate hikes dampening investment dynamics, tourism will be a key driver of growth this year. Our forecast is for growth of 1.9% for Spain, surpassing the eurozone's expected growth rate of 0.5%.

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Spanish Tourism Satellite Account. Latest data

Latest press releases.

Tourism activity reached 155,946 million euros in 2022, 11.6% of GDP, which was 3.9 points more than in 2021. The characteristic branches of tourism generated more than 1.9 million jobs, 9.3% of total employment.

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• Nota informativa. Revisión Estadística 2024 de las Cuentas Nacionales
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Most popular tables

Did you know....

The Spanish Tourism Satellite Account (STSA) is a summary statistic composed of a set of accounts and tables, based on the methodological principles of national accounts and presenting the different economic parameters of tourism in Spain, for a given reference date. The current base is 2010.

It essentially consists of three types of components:

• - Supply accounts and tables, in which an attempt is made to characterise the production and cost structures of tourism companies.
• - Demand tables which intend to characterise, from an economic point of view, the different types of tourists, national tourism compared with international, the types of goods and services demanded, etc.
• - Tables that interrelate supply and demand, which facilitates obtaining some integrated measurements of the contribution of tourism to the economy via variables such as GDP, production or employment.

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71.6 million tourists visit Spain in 2022, spending €87 billion

Posted By: The Corner 3rd February 2023

The data on tourist movements at borders (Frontur) made public by the Spanish statistical institute show that the figures for the end of 2022, which are close to 72 million registered tourists, are still 14.3% below those recorded in 2019, a record year for Spanish tourism in which 83.7 million foreign visitors to our country exceeded 83.7 million.

For the Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, these data confirm the intense recovery of the tourism sector in 2022. “The expectations we had of recovering the majority of international tourists from the pre-pandemic period have been fulfilled, but the most important thing is that spending is growing more and also the average stay, and this means an improvement in the quality and profitability of our sector,” she said.

The main countries of residence of tourists visiting Spain last year were the UK, France and Germany. Tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom increased by 251.3%, those from France by 73.3% and those from Germany by 87.4%.

By regions, the auronomous community of Catalonia was the principal destination in 2022, with 20.7% of the total number of tourists. It was followed by the Balearic Islands (18.5%) and the Canary Islands (17.2%).

Most of the international tourists arriving in Spain came by air, a total of 59.3 million, an increase of 142.5% over the previous year. Nearly 11 million international visitors arrived by road, an increase of 71.8%. Hotel or rented accommodation was used by 59.5 million tourists (140.3% more than in 2021) and homes owned or rented by family or friends by another 12 million (87.8% more).

The majority stay in 2022 was between four and seven nights, and the majority of visitors (54.1 million) came to Spain without a tourist package, twice as many as in 2021. These data confirm the end of a positive year for tourism in Spain, which in December was visited by 4.1 million international tourists, 39.9% more than in the same month in 2021.

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Spain Tourism Revenues

Tourism revenues in spain increased to 5705 eur million in december from 5234 eur million in november of 2023. tourism revenues in spain averaged 3582.17 eur million from 1993 until 2023, reaching an all time high of 10808.00 eur million in august of 2023 and a record low of 0.00 eur million in april of 2020. source: bank of spain,   markets,   gdp,   labour,   prices,   money,   trade,   government,   business,   consumer,   housing,   taxes,   energy,   health,   climate.

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Spain’s Commitment to Tourism Sustainability

Spain’s commitment to tourism sustainability  .

By: José Manuel de Juan of The Tourism Office of Spain 

Spain is one of the world’s tourism leaders, ranking second among the most visited countries. As part of this leadership role, the Government of Spain has launched an ambitious scheme that seeks to promote the transformation of tourist destinations towards sustainability in three ways: environmental, socioeconomic, and territorial. 

UNWTO defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts to meet the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.” Therefore, sustainable tourism is not a tourism product but rather a management principle that must be applied to any type of tourism product and destination. 

With this concept in mind, the Spanish government plans to invest 1.9 billion euros in the next three years to support Spain’s tourist destinations in their transformation process to integrate environmental, socioeconomic and territorial sustainability into their offer and to develop resilience strategies to face the new challenges in the tourism ecosystem, from climate change to tourism overdemand to health and safety crises.  

Specifically: 

• To diversify the offer of tourist destinations to help generate employment opportunities, redistribute tourism revenue, and promote territorial cohesion while disrupting the concentration of the demand, particularly toward rural areas, as well as to promote arrivals all year round. 
• To guarantee sustainability by reducing emissions, improving waste and water management, protecting and restoring ecosystems for tourism, and introducing actions to prevent or mitigate the effects of climate change. 

Any municipality in Spain can present their plans to the Government to get their sustainability plans financed.  

The type of plan will depend on the type of destination. Destinations will be divided into categories which will require different actions: 

Sun and beach destinations  

Sun and beach destinations are currently facing a profound change, with consumers who are increasingly more informed, more demanding and who have more alternatives, and citizens who demand a better distribution of the socioeconomic benefits of tourism among local populations. 

All this requires a strategy that reinforces the diversity of the tourism experience, the participation of the local population in the benefits of tourism, the reduction of its environmental impact, the contribution to energy efficiency, and the recovery of an environment where a wide range of travel experiences can coexist. 

Rural destinations  

Inland Spain has an enormous cultural heritage and rich natural resources. This endows it with  great potential from a tourism standpoint and a wide margin for development.  

A better integration of this territory in Spain’s tourism system will contribute to a seasonal adjustment, a disruption of the current concentration, and the distribution of tourism income. Spain’s plan for rural destinations is aimed at improving the quality of life of their residents, generating new job opportunities, revitalizing aged social spaces, improving industries and business, and contributing to the country’s strategy against depopulation. 

Urban destinations  

Urban tourism represents approximately a quarter of the international tourism demand towards Spain. The cities are also the main points of entry into the country through their airports. 

Cities face considerable challenges: the renovation of their cultural and leisure offer and the integration of new pieces in that offer, as well as the need for maintenance and improvement of their historic centers; a balanced approach that takes into consideration the multiplicity of demographic groups that inhabit a given space or neighborhood and the expectation that each group has for that space (living , working, visiting, etc.); the need to expand and diversify areas of interest; and the need for digital tools that allow a better management of tourism flows and contribute to a more efficient management of the different services made available to them. 

Independently of the funds that are available to the destinations, the Spanish Government has just announced a 170-million-euros project aimed at financing hotels and other hospitality facilities to become more energy efficient.  

This is just a brief summary of Spain’s comprehensive plan for a more sustainable tourism industry, one that the country takes with great enthusiasm as we lead the way into a new era in world travel. 

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Spain is a destination filled to the brim with hidden gems in nature, culture, and cuisine. Mediterranean beaches, green National Parks, historic towns filled with contemporary art, and fresh seafood paired with world class wine make it a top pick for American travelers.

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List of Countries by Tourism Income

Below you can find a list of countries by total tourism income and ratio of tourism income by total GDP. You can also find an interactive map below where each country is colored by its tourism income. The ratio of tourism income to the total GDP gives a rough figure which economies are most dependent on tourism income.

• United States of America has the highest total tourism income with over 210 billion $ yearly. This huge figure however is only 1.1% of the country's total GDP
• Spain has the second largest tourism income in the World with almost 68 billion $ yearly, making up tourism 5.2% of the total economy.
• Another Mediterranean country, France, is the third on the list with over 60 billion yearly tourism income.
• It is no wonder that the popular holiday destination Maldives is the leader when it comes to share of tourism in the total GDP. 2.7 billion $ tourism income of Maldives makes up 60% of the country's total GDP.
• Palau and Grenada, two island countries of Caribbeans, come second and third after Maldives. Palau with 141 million $ and Granada with 448 million $ obtain respectively 48% and 40% of their GDP by tourism.

Similar Data

Countries by Number of Incoming Tourists

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The rise of rural tourism in Spain: an opportunity for rural development

In recent years, rural tourism has become increasingly important in Spain, opening up new avenues to diversify the sources of income for rural economies. In this article, based on internal CaixaBank data, we look at the upturn in the sector after the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for the economic resilience of rural Spain and for the tourism industry, given its high level of sustainability both from the point of view of its impact on the environment and its greater geographic diversification and more limited seasonality compared to other, more traditional forms of tourism such as sun, sea and sand destinations.

Rural tourism is playing an increasingly important role in boosting the economies of Spain’s most agricultural areas. According to CaixaBank’s internal data on card payments, 28 rural tourism has gone from representing 10.9% of total tourism expenditure in 2019 to 11.9% in 2023 , 29 a relatively significant gain in share that indicates the stronger position of this type of tourism post-pandemic.

• 28. Rural tourism expenditure corresponds to spending with cards issued by foreign institutions (international tourists) and spending with cards issued by Spanish institutions on transactions carried out in locations other than their usual place of expenditure (domestic tourists), these payments being made via CaixaBank POS terminals in rural municipalities. All non-coastal municipalities with less than 30,000 inhabitants, or less than 100 inhabitants per km 2 , are classified as rural municipalities.
• 29. Data up to June 2023.

The above map shows that rural tourism is of great importance in the tourism mix of Spain’s inland provinces, regions where the primary sector also plays an important part in the economy. Such regions include Castile-La Mancha and Castile & Leon. For example, in Cuenca rural tourism accounts for 67% and the primary sector contributes 15% of the province’s GVA, while Segovia is the province with the highest rural tourism expenditure (79%). Both the primary sector and rural tourism are also relevant in Extremadura, Aragon and parts of Catalonia (Lleida and Girona) and the Basque Country (Alava).

Rural tourism contributes to diversifying the sources of income in agricultural areas and can also help to spread economic activity throughout the year

Tourism and agriculture are two very different economic activities but their sectors share certain characteristics: Spain enjoys an important competitive advantage in both, both produce considerable exports and help to balance Spain’s current account, and both tend to generate income on a relatively seasonal basis, which implies a high seasonality of employment in these sectors. However, rural tourism not only contributes to diversifying the sources of income in agricultural areas but can also help to spread economic activity throughout the year since the seasonal pattern of rural tourism does not coincide with that of agricultural production, as can be seen in the chart below. Although rural tourism is very seasonal, with 43.8% of its expenditure concentrated between June and September and a peak of 16% in August, the fact that it’s relatively more robust during the winter months makes it less seasonal than coastal tourism. 30

• 30. 50.8% of expenditure in coastal municipalities is concentrated in the period from June to September while the seasonality in urban municipalities is less marked (37.3% of expenditure is concentrated in the period June-September).

The seasonality of rural tourism and GVA of the primary sector

The seasonality of tourism expenditure: urban, rural and coastal.

The development of rural tourism is closely related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The chart below shows month-by-month expenditure on coastal, urban and rural tourism, benchmarked by the same month in 2019. During the pandemic, we can see that rural tourism proved to be much more resilient than urban and coastal tourism, with expenditure in summer 2020 reaching 80% of the level recorded in 2019 and surpassing this 2019 level as early as the second half of 2021. During the pandemic, tourists opted for less crowded destinations that enabled more outdoor activities and social distancing.

Despite the fact that the progress of rural tourism is linked to the pandemic, we can also see that, once the restrictions on people’s movements were relaxed, tourists have continued to choose this option. The growth in expenditure on rural tourism has outpaced that of coastal and urban tourism in each month of 2022 and 2023 (with data up to June), suggesting that the trend observed during the pandemic was not temporary but a reflection of a change in the preferences of tourists, who are now opting for nature-based holidays, undoubtedly influenced by the greater importance placed on environmental sustainability.

The recovery of tourism expenditure: urban, rural and coastal

The contribution of international tourists to rural tourism is relatively moderate: between January and June 2023, foreigners accounted for 27% of rural tourism expenditure, which represented 3.2% of all tourism expenditure in Spain, a very similar percentage to the same period in 2019. Consequently, the growth in rural tourism between 2019 and 2023 can be attributed to an increase in spending by domestic tourists, an aspect that would be linked to the aforementioned change in preference of Spanish tourists brought about by the pandemic that has continued up to the last few months. In contrast, the breakdown of expenditure between international and domestic tourists is very different in coastal municipalities, one of the most traditional destinations for the tourism industry and which accounted for 62% of total expenditure in 2023. Foreigners play a predominant role in this figure, contributing close to 70% of tourism expenditure in such municipalities. Finally, urban tourist destinations accounted for 27% of total tourism expenditure during S1 2023 and foreign tourists accounted for around 40% of total urban expenditure.

The change in preference of domestic tourists in favour of rural tourism represents an opportunity for the economic development of rural areas and has great potential to boost the sustainability of the tourism industry

Two aspects stand out from a sustainability perspective: the potential for environmental sustainability and sustainability from the point of view of the geographic diversification of rural tourism.

Rural tourism is particularly sustainable in ecological terms. It’s intrinsically associated with nature and, in fact, an important proportion of this tourism takes place in or near protected areas. This increases environmental awareness among the population and, in turn, leads to stricter regulations to promote environmental conservation. But it’s important to note that it’s a two-way relationship between rural tourism and a preference for sustainability; a more environmentally aware public will probably choose more sustainable destinations. Therefore, with the growing importance of the ecological transition, an attractive range of rural tourism services and products is key for this public to continue choosing destinations in Spain.

Rural tourism also seems to be a sustainable option given the crowding problems faced by urban and coastal destinations. Rural tourism helps to distributes tourists over a larger area, spreading the burden on local infrastructure and services and easing the pressure on tighter housing markets. Economic benefits for rural communities can also help to mitigate the phenomenon of rural depopulation.

Real-Time Economics

Follow the evolution of the Spanish economy with our real-time indicators  and our published articles.

To read below

What does the latest agricultural census tell us about Spanish farms?

The challenge for Spain’s agrifood sector of remaining competitive in the face of adverse conditions

Production costs and drought are affecting Spain’s agrifood sector

Money latest: How your neighbour could wipe up to £57,000 from your house price - and what you can do to prevent it

Messy neighbours can slash tens of thousands of pounds off the value of your home, research has found. Read about this and the rest of today's consumer and personal finance news in the Money blog, and tell us your thoughts on any of the stories we cover in the form below.

Friday 12 April 2024 12:00, UK

• UK economy grows slightly for second month in a row
• How your neighbour's garden could wipe up to £57,000 from your house price
• Prescription costs are rising - here's how to beat the hike
• At what age do you reach peak earnings?
• Authentic or Greek-style? Your guide to getting healthier yoghurt for less
• 'WTF is going on with the price of olive oil?'
• Could I build a home gym for less than my gym membership?
• Basically...  Tax codes
• Cheap Eats : Great British Menu legend shares ultimate toastie recipe

Ask a question or make a comment

We've all heard consumer advice that's repeated so often it almost becomes cliché. So, every Friday the Money team will get to the bottom of a different "fact" and decide whether it's a myth or must.

This week it is...

'You can't get a mortgage with a bad credit rating'

Just how important is keeping on top of your credit score when it comes to buying a home?

For this one, we've got the help of  Emma Steeley , chief executive at borrowing platform Aro. 

"The honest answer is that a bad credit rating can stop you from getting a mortgage, and a poor rating can throw some serious hurdles in your path," Emma says. 

"Despite this, it's not the end of the road if your credit rating isn't as rosy as you’d like it to be."

What counts as a bad credit score?

"In the worst-case scenario, this will likely mean you've defaulted on or missed payments, and debt has been escalated to the stage where legal action has been initiated," Emma says. 

An applicant left with a credit score below 325 is considered "poor" or even "very poor" by Equifax. 

A game of risk for lenders

Before we talk about what your credit score will do to an offer rate, it's important to understand the impact that the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio can have on this too, as it heavily influences the interest rate offered by lenders.

Your LTV ratio is used by lenders to decide how risky it is to lend you the money to buy your home. It compares how much of the property you will own - ie, how much deposit you can put down in relation to the property’s value - to how much they will need to lend to you to make up the difference.

"The lower your LTV ratio, the better the mortgage rate you're likely to be offered - the higher the LTV, the higher the risk for the lender," Emma says. 

"A higher credit score can help mitigate the impact of a high LTV, potentially resulting in a more favourable interest rate."

What to do if you have a poor credit score

The obvious answer here is to try to improve your credit score, by building your file with credit builder loans and/or secured cards.

"While the options may be limited and less favourable for those with 'poor' credit scores, they do exist," Emma says. 

Those are usually longer or more expensive deals, however. 

The good news is most lenders don't solely use credit scores as a measure of creditworthiness. 

"Best practice will see lenders using a blended scorecard, that overlays behavioural data and back book financial performance with credit data to get a much more accurate assessment of an individual's payback ability," Emma says. 

However, for people with a "very poor" rating (below 226, according to Equifax), the number of offers you are likely to receive shrinks to almost zero.

Myth or must?

It's undeniable that a good credit score gives you more flexibility when it comes to getting a mortgage. 

"Importantly, credit scores can be improved," Emma says. 

"Those who take a proactive approach to managing their finances and understand how to rebuild their credit score will find themselves presented with a wider array of loan options."

A good credit score is a money must. 

Messy neighbours can slash tens of thousands of pounds off the value of your home, according to new research.

A survey of estate agents by Churchill Home Insurance found that more than four in five (82%) believe it's important for homeowners to chat to their neighbours about their poorly maintained property before putting the house on the market.

Some 22% said an overgrown garden is likely to have the biggest impact, while 20% said rubbish or junk in the driveway or front garden could affect the cost.

Overflowing gutters (20%), several cars parked on or around the property (19%) and garden ornaments and statues (18%) also cut the value of neighbouring homes, estate agents said.

The research also revealed that some sellers deliberately time viewings to make their houses seem more attractive, avoiding issues next door such as loud music or pets - or even avoiding the neighbours altogether.

Sarah Khan, head of Churchill home insurance, said: "First impressions count when it comes to selling homes, with the sale price often negatively impacted when the neighbouring property looks scruffy.

"Investing a few hundred pounds in a gardener to tidy up next door's front garden could pay huge dividends when it comes to selling your home, a win-win for both you and your neighbour." 

What do estate agents say? 

We spoke to people in the industry about the risk of having messy neighbours when it comes to moving - and what their advice is for those seeking to avoid any effect on their sale.

James Stevenson, south and south west area director at Foxtons,  agrees it can make the process more difficult.

"Gardens that are unkept or full of clutter, pavements and frontages that have fallen into disrepair or where your neighbours are showing little care for their property are all a negative flag for buyers," he said.

"Additionally, any disruption that has become a neighbourly dispute must be declared to prospective buyers, so it's always better to have a great relationship with your neighbours and try to resolve any existing issues amicably."

Messy neighbours are "frustrating" at any time, but become a "more pressing issue" when it comes to putting a home up for sale, says  Sarah Cull, senior associate director Strutt & Parker Salisbury.

"Before you get your own gardening shears out, the first step should always be to try to have a frank conversation with your neighbour – you can even explain that you’re looking to sell and you want to give prospective buyers the best first impression possible."

If a friendly chat doesn't do the job, Sarah suggests heading to a local garden centre to pick up some screening.

"Where the neighbour's garden is considered a nuisance – for example there's lots of rubbish which could attract pests, or weeds are damaging groundwork – then you can report it to your local council," she added.

By  Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

The continued return to growth with GDP - a measure of everything produced in the economy - up 0.1% has been welcomed by markets.

The FTSE 100 - the index of most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange - is up 0.86% and near its all-time high.

Pushing up the index is Fresnillo, the precious metals mining company with its share price up 6.91%.

Potentially putting a dampener on the global economy is the fact oil prices have remained elevated, with a barrel of the benchmark Brent crude oil costing $90.57.

Currency wise, one pound buys $1.256 and €1.17.

Jeremy Hunt says the latest economy figures are a "welcome sign".

The chancellor said GDP growth of 0.1% shows "that the economy is turning a corner, and we can build on this progress if we stick to our plan".

"Last week our cuts to national insurance for 29 million working people came into effect across Britain, as part of our plan to reward work and grow the economy," he said in a statement.

The UK economy has grown slightly for the second month in a row, official figures show.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew just 0.1% in February, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

It's another signal that the UK economy is working its way out of recession.

Growth of 0.3% was recorded last month - and that figure has been revised upwards from a previous estimate of 0.2%.

A recession was declared in February after data showed two quarters of economic contraction.

If the economy expands for three months, the UK will be officially out of recession.

It can be hard to balance getting nutritious foods that make you feel good without emptying your wallet.

In this series every Friday, we're trying to find the cheapest ways to identify the healthiest options in the supermarket.

We've asked  Sunna Van Kampen,  founder of  Tonic Health ,  who went viral on social media for reviewing supermarket products in the search of healthier choices, for his input. 

The series does not aim to identify the outright healthiest option, rather how to get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.

This time we're looking at yogurt - specifically the differences between some of the most popular: authentic Greek and Greek-style. 

"You have to watch out for Greek-style yoghurt masquerading as the authentic variety," Sunna says. 

Typical Greek-style yoghurt has around 4.6g of sugar per 100g, he says.

But swivel your cart towards the authentic Greek yoghurt, and you'll find only 3.3g per 100g.

"That's an impressive 28% reduction in sugar content, or a teaspoon of sugar a day if you have a 300g portion." 

To be clear - this isn't added sugar, this is the naturally-occurring kind from lactose in the milk.

Protein is the building block of our bodies, and something around 66% of Brits don't get enough of.

"Authentic Greek yoghurt boasts around double the protein content of its Greek-style cousins - with branded versions having 9g per 100g compared to just 3.7g per 100g," Sunna says. 

This means in a typical 300g bowl, you are getting 27g of protein versus only 11.1g in Greek-style. 

Here's the bottom line - it is more expensive, but the investment is worth it, Sunna says. 

• Greek-style yoghurt – supermarket own label – 22p per 100g
• Authentic Greek yoghurt - supermarket own label – 46p per 100g
• Authentic Greek yoghurt – branded versions – 50-58p per 100g

"Okay, so we are talking double the price, but you get what you pay for with double the protein," Sunna says.

Think of it this way - every 300g bowl is an extra 72p per day for nearly 16g of extra protein and nearly 30% less sugar. 

"Far cheaper than what you'd pay for a protein bar with the same amount of protein," Sunna notes. 

The key here: value isn't exclusive to the price tag - and investing in your health is more important than ever. 

So, next time you're navigating the dairy aisle, remember that not all yoghurts are created equal - opting for authentic Greek yoghurt can be a small but effective step towards a healthier diet without breaking the bank.

The nutritionist's view - from  Dr Laura Brown , senior lecturer in nutrition, food, and health sciences at Teesside University...

Yes, absolutely for a source of protein. 

Yogurt is better than protein bars and powders that are full of protein, as they come along with a long list of other potentially artificial ingredients that are not necessary. 

If we are looking at yoghurts from a health perspective, then you're definitely wanting to look for this style - natural, Greek, low sugar or sugar free but not fat-free! 

Families should avoid investing in sugar-laden yoghurts that do not serve any nutritional purposes. 

If someone is eating yoghurt specifically as a source of protein, then there are much better sources like beans and lentils which are affordable and will provide other additional benefits including fibre. 

The price of a prescription is set to to rise from £9.65 to £9.90 in England in May - but there are ways you can save money on your medicines.

Fee-free options remain in place for some, such as those who are pregnant, have certain disabilities, students or the elderly.

But if you're not exempt, there are still some means of cutting the costs of treatments.

Prepayment certificates

Prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) cover NHS prescriptions over a given time period, no matter how many medicines you need.

There are two options: A three-month PPC (£32.05 from May), which will start to save you money if you buy four or more prescriptions in that period, or a 12-month PPC (£114.50), which pays off if you buy 12 or more in a year.

Ask for a larger prescription

Doctors may agree to prescribe a longer course of medicine - such as two months' worth instead of one, halving the cost.

Just ask the question - they might say yes, especially if there's no danger of overuse.

Menopause medication

The NHS offers a particular PPC for hormone replacement therapy.

It lasts for 12 months and costs £19.30, rising to £19.80 from 1 May.

Women can use the PCC as many times as they need within the year.

You might not need a prescription

For some ailments, there are over-the-counter options sold cheaper than their prescribed alternative. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

People are 47 before they reach peak earnings, data for 2023 shows - a huge increase from five years ago.

Office for National Statistics figures show the age for the highest average wage had risen from 38 in 2013 and 40 in 2018.

It comes as Britons retire later and younger people struggle on the lowest wages.

In 2023, this highest average wage (gross median hourly earnings, including overtime) was £18.78 per hour.

The ONS said: "While the age at which earnings peak has changed, the overall trends in earnings throughout a person’s working career have remained very similar. 

"Young people earn the lowest hourly wage, people aged between 30 and 50 earn the most and median hourly earnings fall from around age 50 until retirement.

"Whilst median earnings fall between age 50 and retirement, this does not mean that individuals' pay will decrease. 

"Higher earners may retire early, reducing the median wage of those remaining in employment, and people may change roles and hours worked."

Yesterday we reported on ONS data showing the age at which people reach life milestones - with all of them being pushed later in life except one...

Fake flights and caravans are the two most common items being sold by fraudsters in relation to travel, Lloyds Bank's research has found.

As Britons head online to book deals for the upcoming bank holidays and summer, they have been urged to "remain vigilant", with the average holiday scam victim being conned out of £765.

Amid rising flight costs post-COVID, people have been flocking to social media and other lesser-known websites to secure cheaper deals.

A food delivery company claims to have created an  "unshakeable bag" to avoid spillage in transit.

Bolt, which owns the Bolt Food delivery platform, said its design is based on gyroscope technology and will keep food stable "during the most abrupt movements".

In a post to its website, the firm said it would make the design available to its competitors as it is "too powerful to be owned by any one company".

"We believe everyone should enjoy a perfect meal, regardless of which app they order it from," it said.

Assaulting a shopworker is to be made a separate criminal offence after a government U-turn following pressure from campaigners.

The government previously said "more legislative change" was not needed to tackle the "intolerable violence and abuse" faced by shopworkers, arguing it did not think it was "required or will be most effective".

But Rishi Sunak is now set to announce his government will be amending the Criminal Justice Bill to bring in the new offence.

The drugmaker was on its knees when Sir Pascal Soriot took over in 2012. 

But under his leadership it now does just about everything the UK wants from a business - creating high value-added jobs and developing products that improve people's lives.

The FTSE 100's performance has lagged that of many of its peers, both in the United States and Europe, more or less since the Brexit vote in 2016.

That poor performance has reflected the poor valuation of many UK-listed companies - resulting in numerous foreign takeovers of UK businesses in recent months and years.

It has also led to a scarcity in the number of companies floating on the London Stock Exchange, most notably the  Cambridge-based chip designer ARM Holdings , which last year opted to list in the US instead.

The situation has alarmed the government, which has announced a number of reforms  aimed at raising the UK's attractiveness .

An imminent shareholder vote on Sir Pascal's pay makes a particularly interesting test case because few would dispute that he has been the most outstanding FTSE 100 chief executive of his generation.

This rise could take his potential earnings to £18.5m this year - which critics say is excessive.

Read my full piece here ...

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Man dies after falling into sea while taking photos of huge waves in Canary Islands

A Czech tourist has died after falling into the sea while apparently taking photographs of huge waves during a storm on the Canary Island of Tenerife

MADRID -- A Czech tourist died after falling into the sea while apparently taking photographs of huge waves during a storm on the Canary Island of Tenerife, authorities said Thursday.

A Canary Island local government statement said the 53-year-old man died Wednesday afternoon in the town of Puerto de la Cruz. Rescue services retrieved the man from the sea but he died shortly afterwards.

Authorities had warned of possible flooding in coastal areas due to stormy seas around the island in the Atlantic, a popular vacation destination for many Europeans. The government had urged people to take precaution in dock or breakwater areas and to avoid coastal roads and nautical sports.

Tenerife officials said people from some 60 houses were evacuated Wednesday, adding that waves reached some five meters (16 feet) in several areas.

Four people from different countries died last month after falling into the sea during bad weather on mainland Spain .

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