Spain expects extra vacationers this 12 months after file 94 million guests in 2024

MADRID (Reuters) -Spain expects much more vacationers to flock to the nation in 2025 after an estimated file 94 million foreigners visited final 12 months, 10% greater than in 2023, Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu mentioned on Wednesday, serving to to drive financial progress amid a wider European slowdown,

International vacationers spent some 126 billion euros ($130 billion) throughout their stays in 2024, up 16% from the earlier 12 months, the minister mentioned. He predicted they might spend 36 billion euros within the first 4 months of 2025, additionally 16% greater than in the identical interval of 2024, whereas customer numbers ought to rise by 9%.

The vacationer growth has change into a supply of stress in lots of customer hotspots across the nation, with cities like Barcelona planning to close all short-term leases by 2028 to guard locals from rising housing prices.

Hereu mentioned the Spanish authorities is engaged on night out the vacationer inflow, citing progress in setting guidelines and limits on the availability of rental lodging for vacationers.

“We have to persevere in deconcentrating tourism, however the good factor is that that is taking place,” he informed reporters, including that environmentally sustainable tourism was gaining energy in Spain.

In October final 12 months, the Financial institution of Spain mentioned in a report that although most tourism-related indicators had been registering consecutive data, their progress was slowing down.

It additionally warned about tourism-related issues of congestion, pure useful resource degradation and housing, and referred to as for a research on whether or not tourism charges must be elevated.

($1 = 0.9704 euros)