Considering all means of transport, Spain received 45.4 million foreign tourists between January and August 2014. This is 7.3% over the same period last year. Therefore, it means a new foreign tourism all-time high after the one achieved last year.
Foreign tourism All-time high in Spain between Jan and Aug 2014
According to Frontur – Spanish Institute of tourist studies – 9.1 million tourists came to Spain in August. This is 8.8% over August 2013. It is worth noting the French tourism, which contribution to the traffic increase was most significant: the number of French people who came to Spain by whatever means of transport increased in 171,000 in August.
Number of foreign visitors in Spain in August 2014
All the Autonomous Regions in Spain improved numbers with regard to August 2013, but Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands are leading the list. Looking at the period January-August, the main increases correspond to the Canaries (11.9%) and the Madrid Autonomous Region (8.8%).
United Kingdom continues to be the main source market in August
2.1 million people came to Spain from the United Kingdom in August. They went mainly to the Balearic Islands and then to the Canaries, Andalusia, Catalonia, Valencia and Madrid.
France is the second source market with nearly 2 million tourists. Their main destination was Catalonia, with 41% of the visitors. Also, it is worth mention the increase of French tourists to the Basque Country, Castile and León and Madrid.
Germany, with 1.3 million tourists, had a significant increase of 11.8%. Over 51% of the German tourists go to the Balearics, where there was an increase by 7.7% of German visitors in August. After the Balearics, the Canaries are the second main destination. It is precisely the Canaries where the increase of German tourism was most significant in August with about 52,000 more people.
Italy seems to be back in good figures. The number of Italian tourists increased by 15.5% in August. This increase has very much to do with the increases in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
Nordic Countries contributed to increase with 1.5%. This soften the increases registered in August of previous years. Nearly all the main destinations had moderate increases but the Canaries that suffered a significant loss of Nordic visitors.
Among all the other source markets, it is worth noting the increase of over 20% of Portugal and USA.
Increase of foreign visitors in Spain between Jan and Aug 2014 with regard to 2013
Increase of foreign visitors in Spain between Jan and Aug 2014 with regard to 2013
Photo: La Mata beach in Torrevieja, Alicante / Costa Insider
