International tourist spending exceeded €18.2 billion in July, up 10.9% compared to the previous year

Spain welcomed 11.5 million international tourists in July, 4.6% more than in the same month of 2025, according to figures published by the National Statistics Institute (INE). As for international tourist spending, the figure rose by 10.9% during the month, reaching €18.218 billion.

In the first seven months of 2026, the total number of international tourist arrivals stood at 58.1 million, representing a 4.6% increase on the same period last year. In terms of spending, foreign tourists spent nearly €82 billion up to July, an increase of 7.8%.

During July, each international tourist spent an average of €1,579, representing a 5.9% increase compared to the previous year. The average daily expenditure per visitor was €218, a year-on-year increase of 3.7%.

The most common length of stay for tourists in July was four to seven nights, accounting for over 5.7 million visits - an annual increase of 8.7%. The number of visitors who did not stay overnight (day trippers) fell by 3.6%, while the number of tourists staying for longer periods (more than 15 nights) rose by 12.8%.

In July, the United Kingdom was the leading country of origin for visitors to our country, with 2.2 million tourists, an increase of 5.6%. In terms of spending at destination, UK citizens spent €3.038 billion in Spain in July, a 4.8% increase compared to the same month in 2025.

France ranked second, with tourist numbers rising by 2.3% compared to July 2025, reaching nearly 11.5 million international tourists. Spending also rose by 12.6%, totalling €1.644 billion.

Germany was in third place. 1.2 million tourists arrived from this country in July, representing a 2.3% year-on-year increase. Spending by German tourists reached €1.751 billion, 11.5% more than in the same month in 2025.

This July saw a notable increase in the number of visitors from Italy - up by 16.9% - and from Switzerland - up by 13.2% compared with the same month last year. In terms of spending, the Italian market also stood out with a sharp 24.5% increase. Also noteworthy is the increase in spending under the 'Rest of the world' heading, which rose by 13.8% year-on-year.

Balearic Islands, top destination in July

As in June, the Balearic Islands were the main destination for tourists in July, with 22.3% of the total. In second and third places were Catalonia (20.6%) and Andalusia (14.6%), respectively. The Balearic Islands welcomed 0.1% more tourists than in July 2025. The number of visitors to Catalonia rose by 0.8%, whilst Andalusia saw a 7.5% increase in visitor numbers. The largest percentage increase this month was recorded in the 'Other regions' category, which grew by 11.8%.

In terms of spending, there was an annual increase of 8.3% in the Balearic Islands, 13.0% in Catalonia and 23.4% in Andalusia. With regard to spending, it is also worth noting the significant rise in the 'Other regions' category, which saw a 17.4% increase.

Non official translation