Spain projected to host 100 million tourists by 2026, overtaking France

Spain could reach 100 million foreign visitors by 2026, which would place it ahead of France as the world’s top destination, according to tourism officials. The country welcomed a record 97 million tourists in 2023, and in April 2026 arrivals hit 9.1 million, a 5.2 % increase over the same month in 2025.

Officials attribute the surge to the war in Iran and the closure of other Mediterranean spots such as Turkey and Egypt, which have redirected tourists toward Spain. However, higher fuel prices may curb European travel, and growing domestic discontent over “overtourism” is spurring protests in Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands since 2016.

“​If we keep this pace, we’ll soon be number one,” said Fede Fuster, president of the Benidorm tourism association. Activists warn that short‑term rentals raise rents for locals; the government fined Airbnb 65 million euros for unregistered listings, and Barcelona announced it will cancel all 10,000 short‑term rental permits by 2028 and raise the tourist tax. The tourism industry cautions that such measures could hurt competitiveness and jobs.