Spain's tourism nears 100 million visitors, boosted by family, sport travel and AI

Catalonia's airports handled 2.3 million international passengers in June, a 3.5% rise year‑on‑year, with low‑cost carriers up 7.4% and traditional airlines down 4.6%. Across Spain, total international arrivals reached 11.1 million, a 4% increase, and the tourism ministry expects up to 100 million foreign visitors by September, driven by shifting travel patterns after Middle‑East tensions and heightened interest following Spain’s World Cup performance.

Sport‑related travel generated €3.63 billion in 2025, with more than 5.4 million trips and 1.7 million international sport tourists, a 16.1% rise. Family tourism research shows 79.5% of families now use video‑rich social media for trip inspiration, and physical travel agencies have reclaimed a leading role, with family spend rising 21% in summer and Christmas periods.

A Stratesys analysis highlights that Spanish tourism firms are integrating artificial intelligence and unified data platforms to improve demand forecasting, dynamic pricing and operational decisions across hotels, airlines and transport operators, marking a shift from separate spreadsheets to real‑time, AI‑driven management.