By Humphrey Carter

Copyright majorcadailybulletin

While certain sectors of the tourist industry and its supply chain such as bars, restaurants and beach concessions, not to mention small businesses complain of a significant fall in business this year, so looking at the latest figures the question has to be asked, what have tourists spent their money on?
Total spending by international tourists amounted to €92.463 billion during the first eight months of the year, an increase of 7.1% compared to the same period in 2024, according to data published on Thursday by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

In terms of the number of international tourists who arrived in Spain in the first eight months of 2025, the figure was close to 66.8 million, representing a 3.9% increase compared to the same period last year. Between January and August, the United Kingdom was the country with the highest cumulative expenditure (17.9% of the total), followed by Germany (11.6%) and France (9.1%). And, the autonomous communities with the highest cumulative expenditure were Catalonia (18.3% of the total), the Canary Islands (17.6%) and the Balearics (16.8%).

In terms of visitors, the main source countries in the first eight months of the year were the United Kingdom (with nearly 13.2 million and an increase of 4.3% compared to the same period in 2024); France (with almost 9.2 million and an increase of 0.1%), and Germany (with more than 8.2 million and an increase of 2%). So, who have been the big cash winners so far this year?

In August, the increase in spending by international tourists was 3.8 points higher than the increase in the number of foreign visitors. Spain received 11.3 million international tourists (+2.9%), who generated total spending of over €16.39 billion (+6.7%). In August the main countries of origin in terms of spending in August were the United Kingdom (with 19.2% of the total), France (13.4%) and Germany (11.1%). Spending by tourists residing in the United Kingdom increased by 3.8% year-on-year, that of France by 1.4% and that of Germany by 10%.

The autonomous communities with the highest weight in tourist spending in August were the Balearic Islands (with 23.9% of the total), Catalonia (19%) and Andalusia (14.5%). Tourist spending increased by 9.8% year-on-year in the Balearic Islands, 1.8% in Catalonia and 4.1% in Andalusia. Average spending per tourist was €1,457, with an annual increase of 3.6%. Average daily spending grew by 4.9% to €198.

63.9% of total expenditure in August was made by tourists who stayed in hotel accommodation, with an annual increase of 5.7%. Expenditure on non-market accommodation grew by 13.6%. Expenditure by tourists who did not travel with a package tour rose by 8.2% in annual terms. Spending by those who booked package holidays increased by 2.4%.

In terms of the reason for travel, tourists visiting Spain for leisure generated 92.0% of total spending, with expenditure 4.8% higher than in August 2024. The Balearic Islands were the top destination for tourists in August, accounting for 22.5% of the total. They were followed by Catalonia (19.4%) and Andalusia (15.3%). The Balearics received 3.5% more tourists than in August 2024. The number of tourists visiting Catalonia fell by 4.3%, while Andalusia saw a 7.6% increase.

The rest of the autonomous communities received a total of 1.34 million foreign travellers in August, an increase of 1.8% compared to the same month in 2024. In addition, the number of tourists who used market accommodation as their main form of accommodation increased by 1.4% year-on-year. Within this type, hotel accommodation grew by 1.5% and rented accommodation by 11.7%. Non-market accommodation increased by 12%.

The majority of tourists stayed for four to seven nights, with almost 5.3 million and an annual increase of 3.9%. The number of visitors increased by 7.5% among those who did not stay overnight (day trippers), while it fell by 0.8% among tourists with longer stays (more than 15 nights). More than 8.4 million tourists travelled without a package tour in August, up 3.1%. More than 2.8 million arrived with a package tour, up 2.5%.

British tourists primarily visit Spain for leisure, enjoying beaches, shopping, and city sightseeing, with the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, and Andalusia as favorite destinations. Post-Brexit, UK travellers must now carry proof of accommodation for stays under 90 days and will need to apply for the ETIAS visa waiver and complete the Entrance/Exit System (EES) in the near future.