In 2024, Spain set a new record for international tourists, welcoming an impressive 94 million visitors. This placed the country in second place on the global list of most-visited destinations, right behind France.

Tourism Sector Growth

According to data from Spain’s Ministry of Tourism, the number of tourists grew by 10.7% in the first eleven months of 2024 compared to the previous year. In November alone, foreign tourists spent as much as 7.7 billion euros, and total expenditure in the first eleven months reached around 110 billion euros.

Overtourism

While tourism brings significant revenue, various problems, such as overtourism and the growing housing crisis, are increasingly affecting popular Spanish destinations. Cities like Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca are facing serious challenges as the influx of visitors impacts the daily lives of local residents.

Protests escalated during the summer, with thousands of locals taking to the streets, demanding measures to limit the number of tourists flooding the streets every day. In several Spanish cities, including Malaga, Barcelona, and Palma, residents have united in the fight against overtourism, which contributes to rising housing costs and overcrowding in public spaces.

You can read more about overtourism here.

New Measures

The authorities’ response was not delayed. The Mayor of Barcelona announced the complete ban on short-term rentals to foreigners by 2028 at the latest. Alicante, a smaller city popular with British tourists, decided to prohibit new short-term rentals for the next two years to reduce pressure on the real estate market. These measures are part of a broader strategy aimed at aligning the benefits of tourism with the quality of life of the local population.

Despite the new measures and protests against tourism, there has been no decline in the number of tourists, which continues to rise, and Spain remains a popular destination for many. Airlines announced in early January 2025 that 7.9 million seats would be available on flights to Spain, a 6.5% increase compared to the previous year. With this rise, there is a high chance that Spain’s tourism sector will again achieve record visitation this year.