Spain says 37.5 million foreign tourists visited in the first half of 2023, up 24% from 2022
Spain says it received 37.5 million international tourists in the first half of the year
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Spain received 37.5 million international tourists in the first half of 2023, a 24% increase from the same period last year, the government announced Wednesday.
The figure is lower than for the same period in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, when 38 million tourists arrived. But officials say the numbers are a sign that international tourism has rebounded strongly since the health crisis.
Visitors from Britain topped the tourist list, totaling some 8 million, followed by some 5 million tourists from both France and Germany.
Spain is heavily dependent on tourism, which accounts for 12% of gross domestic product.
The northeastern region of Catalonia, including Barcelona and the Costa Brava, was the most visited area.