August international tourism in Spain generates record 305 million euros per day, 4.1% higher than in 2014

​International tourism therefore generated an average of 305.2 million euros per day for the Spanish economy in August.

This increase in spending was due to an increase in tourist numbers in August (up 1.6%), increases in the average spend per person (up 2.4%) to 1,026 euros and an increase in the average spend per day (up 4.6%) to 107 euros. The United Kingdom and the Asian markets made significant contributions to this result in August.

All the main autonomous regions posted growth in the total spending figures except Catalonia, which posted a slight decrease of -0.2%. It is worth noting the considerable increases posted by the Canary Islands (up 9.6%) and the Region of Madrid (up 16.9%) in a month when tourism is usually in decline.

In the first eight months of the year, total spending by inbound tourists posted a record figure of 46.59 billion euros. This represents a 7% increase on the same period last year. The Asian markets, Belgium, the United States and Italy were the countries posting the highest growth figures, in excess of 15%. In turn, total spending by tourists from two major emitting markets - the United Kingdom and France - grew in the first eight months by 10.4% and 8.3%, respectively.

All autonomous regions with the highest tourism figures posted growth in terms of total spending, average spend per trip and average spend per day in the first eight months of 2015.

Emitting markets

In August, the United Kingdom led the way with the highest inbound tourist spending figure in Spain at 2.25 billion euros. This represents an increase of 7.7% on August 2014. This growth was felt in all the main autonomous regions and particularly in the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The market posted record figures for both the month of August and the accumulated total for the year to date. The United Kingdom also remains the top emitting market in terms of inbound tourist spending in Spain for the first eight months of the year, accounting for 21.1% of the total and amounting to almost 10 billion euros (9.83 billion) for the period (up 10.4%). Increases were posted by both the average spend per tourist (up 7.3% to 903 euros) and the average spend per day (up 10.1% to 104 euros).

The total spend by inbound tourists from Germany amounted to 1.18 billion euros (down 7.9% on 2014). This was due to a decrease in the number of tourists visiting Spain from this market. The Balearic Islands was the autonomous region where this decrease in tourist spending was felt most. In the first eight months of the year, German tourists spent a total of 6.69 billion euros. This is a decrease of 0.7% on the same period last year but maintains the market's second position overall in the figures on the year to date, accounting for 14.4% of the total.

France was the second-largest market in terms of tourist spending in August, with a total of 1.3 billion euros and year-on-year growth of 2.5%. This was also due to the number of tourists arriving from this market and set a new record. Growth from the French market mostly benefited the Balearic Islands, Andalusia and Catalonia. Spending by French tourists in Spain also set a new record for the year to date, at a total of 4.9 billion euros. This is an increase of 8.3% on the same period last year and puts France in third position overall, accounting for 10.5% of the total.

The decrease in spending by the Nordic markets eased off in August to -0.4%, due to a certain recovery in the number of tourists arriving from these markets. In August, Nordic tourists spent a total of 404 million euros in Spain, with an increase in Andalusia and a slightly lesser decrease in the Balearic Islands. For the year to date, spending by these markets stood at 3.86 billion euros, a decrease of 4.7% on the same period in 2014.

Among the remaining markets in terms of the figures on the first eight months of the year, significant growth in spending was posted by tourists from the Asian markets - especially Japan (up 39.5%) and China (up 43%) - as well as Canada (up 32.6%), the United States (up 15.8%) and Latin America.

Main destination autonomous regions

The Balearic Islands were the autonomous region to most benefit from spending by inbound tourists in August: 2.36 billion euros, an increase of 1.2% and accounting for 25% of the total. The increase in August was mainly due to an increase in arrivals and the average spend per person, especially from the British and Italian markets. In the year to date, the total spending figure in the Balearic Islands rose by 7.6% to 8.32 billion euros.

In August, Catalonia posted the second-highest result in terms of spending by inbound tourists in Spain, accounting for 23.7% of the total at 2.24 billion euros. This represents a slight decrease of 0.2% that was mainly due to fewer arrivals in August. It is worth noting the upward trend in spending by tourists from the Asian and US markets, and the decrease in total spending by Russian tourists. Growth of 4.3% to 10.83 billion euros was posted by the region in the year to date.

In August, Andalusia maintained the upward trend in tourist spending that has led to an increase of 8.9% in the first eight months of the year to slightly over 7 billion euros (7.08 billion euros). In August, inbound tourists visiting Andalusia spent 1.41 billion euros (accounting for 14.9% of the total), an increase of 8.7% on August 2014.
Tourists visiting from the Asian markets, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom made the largest contributions to this increase.

The Canary Islands posted an inbound tourist spending figure of 1.26 billion euros in August, an increase of 9.6% on the same month last year. This is the fourth consecutive month of significant growth and accounts for 13.3% of the total. The largest contributions to spending growth were made by the United Kingdom and Italy. In the first eight months of the year, inbound tourists spent a total of 8.54 billion euros in the Canary Islands, an increase of 4.1%. It is also worth noting the growth in the spend per day (up 7.1%) and the average spend per tourist (up 3.1%).

The Region of Valencia posted an increase of 1.2% to 874 million euros, accounting for 9.2% of the total. The United Kingdom was the main emitting market for this region.  In the year to date, total spending by inbound tourists in the Balearic Islands rose by 6.6% to 3.97 billion euros.

The Region of Madrid posted the highest growth figure in August, during a month when tourism is usually in decline. Spending by inbound tourists in August stood at 559 million euros, an increase of 16.9% on August 2014 that was mainly due to an increased number of arrivals. Growth was posted in terms of both the average spend (up 1.5%) and the average spend per day (at 208 euros, up 10% on August 2014). In the first eight months of the year, total spending by inbound tourists in the Region of Madrid rose by 13.6% to 4.17 billion euros.

Type of accommodation, type of holiday and reason for travel

In August, 61.4% of total spending was generated by tourists staying at hotel establishments, with a significant year-on-year increase of 14.2%. In contrast, spending by those tourists staying at non-hotel establishments fell by 8.8% on August 2014.

The inbound tourists travelling to Spain on a package holiday spent a total of 3.05 billion euros (up 17.2% on the same period last year), while those who travelled to Spain independently spent a total of 6.42 billion euros (down 1.2% on August 2014).