- Spanish domestic tourists shifted spending away from crowded coasts.
- Domestic tourism growth slowed to 2.5pc year-on-year.
- Outbound spending by Spanish residents grew by 3.1pc.
- Inland regions like Extremadura and Navarra gained domestic visitors.
- International travellers offset the domestic decline in coastal areas.
High prices and overcrowding have pushed many Spanish residents away from traditional coastal destinations. Domestic tourist spending in places such as Malaga and the Balearics has fallen while spending abroad has accelerated by 3.1pc. Inland areas and overseas holidays have gained preference as a result.
Spanish domestic tourists shifted their spending away from crowded coastal hotspots, according to real-time tourism flow data from BBVA Research. High prices for local transport, accommodation and restaurants slowed domestic tourism growth within Spain to 2.5pc year-on-year, paving the way for a notable shift toward alternative holiday destinations. Spending abroad by Spanish residents rebounded sharply, growing by 3.1pc year-on-year.
This outpaced national traveller growth within Spain, ending a multi-period slowdown in outbound tourism. While coastal heavyweights like Andalusia (home to Malaga) and the Balearic Islands experienced a domestic tourism deceleration or outright decline, inland areas captured the displaced demand. Regions like Extremadura, Navarra and Castilla-La Mancha led the growth in domestic visitor spending.
Despite the drop in Spanish domestic spending, coastal hotspots were not empty. International travellers completely offset the domestic decline. High-volume international regions like the Balearic Islands and Catalonia remained major drivers of overall tourism revenue. Foreign travellers, who demonstrated lower price sensitivity compared to local residents, boosted their spending significantly, aided by unique summer draws like the total solar eclipse of 12 August 2026.
