UK tourists contributed 22% of the total spend
The total spending by international visitors to Spain amounted to 8,328 million euros in September. This represents an increase of 10.9% over the same month in 2015, according to figures released by the INE.
The average per tourist was 1,057 euros, representing an annual increase of 0.6%, while the average daily spend was 135 euros, an increase of 3.2%.
Tourists stayed for an average of 7.8 days, a slight decrease of 0.2 days when compared to September 2015.
Cumulatively for the first nine months of 2016 the total tourist expenditure amounts to 61,624 million euros. This is an increase of 7.6% over the same period in the previous year.
Spending by Emitting Country
Tourists from the UK accounted for 22% of the total tourist spending defying the low value of the pound and Brexit fears. Meanwhile, tourists from Germany accounted for 15.2%, while French visitors spent 7.5% of the total.
The UK visitors increased their spending by 15% in September. German tourists saw their spending fall slightly with an annual variation of -0.1% while tourists from France increased their spending by 12.3%. Tourists visiting from the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) spent 3.3% more than in September in the previous year.
Destinations (Autonomous Communities)
Catalonia captured the largest chunk of international tourist spending in September accounting for 24.5% of the total. The Balearic Islands took 21.9% of the total, while visitors to Andalusia contributed 14.2% to the total spend.
Tourists visiting Catalonia increased their spending by 10.6% on the annual rate. Visitors to the Balearic Islands spent 8.2% more, while in Andalusia they spent 2.8% more, comparing to September 2015.
Spending in Madrid is worthy of mention with visitors increasing their spending by a massive 32.7%.
Over the first nine months of this year, Catalonia has accumulated the largest portion of the spending with 22.6% of the total. Spending on the Balearic Islands accounted for 18.7%, while spending on the Canary Islands accounted for 17.7% of the total.
Overnight Stays
The total number of overnight stays by foreign tourists in all types of accommodation exceeded 61.5 million in September, an annual increase of 7.5%.
The Balearic Islands recorded 13.5 million overnight stays in September, representing 21.9% of the total, 2% more than last year.
The islands were followed by Catalonia with 11.5 million overnight stays, a decrease of 3.1%. Andalusia accounted for 10.4 million overnight stays, an increase of 9.1%.
