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3 clusters · 12 sources · 14 days · First seen · Last updated

Spanish tourism sector growth and trends

Overview

Spain is experiencing significant growth in its tourism sector. Data from 2025 indicates that Spanish residents have entered the global top 10 for outbound tourism expenditure, reaching $39.3 billion. This 20% annual increase represents the fastest growth rate among European Union nations.

Regarding inbound travel, a joint study by Deloitte and Google titled ‘NextGen Travellers and Destinations: Our Vision on the Tourism Industry Transformation’ predicts that Spain may overtake France as the world’s most visited country by 2040. The forecast suggests Spain could host approximately 110 million international tourists annually, compared to an estimated 105 million for France. While France welcomed 102 million visitors in 2025, Spain followed closely with 96.8 million, generating 134.7 billion euro in revenue. This 2025 figure for Spain represented a 3.2% increase from the previous year.

Globally, international travel is expected to reach 2.4 billion trips annually by 2040, with Europe projected to remain the dominant region, accounting for roughly 38 percent of global movement. The report also anticipates shifts in the top five destinations, predicting Mexico will enter the ranking and displace Italy.

While the tourism boom provides economic benefits, it has triggered concerns regarding overtourism. In response, local authorities are implementing mitigation measures, such as Barcelona’s plan to phase out short-term tourist apartments by 2028 and stricter regulations in the Balearic Islands regarding alcohol consumption and party boats. To maintain competitiveness against rising leaders like Spain, France is looking toward lesser-known destinations, such as the Perche region and La Charité-sur-Loire, to attract travelers seeking cultural heritage and authentic experiences away from mass tourism hubs.

Entities

Spain · France · Google · Deloitte · Bank of Spain

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. 22 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Spain projected to overtake France in global tourism by 2040

    A Deloitte and Google report predicts Spain could overtake France as the world's most visited country by 2040, with both nations expected to host over 100 million annual tourists.

  2. 25 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 7 sources
    Spain projected to become world's most visited country by 2040

    A Deloitte and Google study predicts Spain will become the world's most visited country by 2040, surpassing France with an estimated 110 million annual tourists.

  3. about 1 month ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Spain enters global top 10 for outbound tourism spending

    Spain has entered the global top 10 for outbound tourism spending, reaching $39.3 billion in 2025 and overtaking Italy and South Korea.

Sources

arabnews.fr · be.com · biznisinfo.mk · digitalchew.com · infotravel.fr · jauns.lv · presseagence.fr · propertynews.pl · rmf24.pl · telegrafi.com · traveltomorrow.com · viaggiamo.it

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history