Spain was the favorite holiday destination in Europe in 2013, despite the economic crisis and unemployment. During the first half of 2014, tourists in Spain spent 7.8 % more than during the same period of the previous year, especially British, German, and Nordic wallets, according to a press release issued by the Spanish Government on July 28th.
This semester, the favorite destinations were the Canary Islands, Catalonia, and Andalusia. However, the favorite destinations in June, which marks the beginning of the summer holiday in Europe, were Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and Andalusia. In July, French tourists ranked third among all visitors.
On average, visitors spent €89 a day per person and €589 for the whole visit. 66.5 % preferred to stay in Spanish hotels.
Catalonia was the main spot for US visitors, who increased their presence in Spain this year, with an average consumption of € 2,336 per tourist.
Madrid also experienced an increase of visits during the same period.
“International tourists spent € 26.345 million in the first half of the year, 7.8% more than last year, the best figure in history,” according to the Spanish Government.
The biggest spenders were UK tourists (€ 5.212 billion), with an increase of 10.2 %, followed by Germany and the Nordic countries.
The Canary Islands are among the regions with the highest unemployment rate. However, it is the tourist spot where visitors spent the most, € 6.069 billion, equivalent to a rise of 13.9 %.
Spain and Italy, the top European destinations in 2013
In 2013, Spain beat the rest of the European countries with 34 million tourists between January and July, an increase of visitors of 4%, and the weather of 2014 seems to favor an even bigger increase. This year the weather hit central and southern Europe with violent storms in July. The Iberian Peninsula on the other hand kept high temperatures and a more stable climate.
