- Spain outlines 2030 sustainable tourism strategy
- Residents placed at core of national tourism policy
- Spain expects around 100 million international visitors in 2026
- Tourism accounts for 12.6 pc of Spain’s GDP
- Strategy backed by €3.4 billion modernisation framework
Spain has outlined its Spain Tourism 2030 strategy placing local residents at the absolute core of national tourism policy shifting focus from raw visitor volume to sustainable community well-being, housing affordability and regional decentralisation. Spain expects around 100 million international visitors in 2026 and is prioritising people and sustainability in its Tourism 2030 plan. The strategy was presented at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
The strategy elevates residents as a distinct core audience alongside destinations, businesses, tourism workers and visitors. It integrates policy across all national ministries rather than isolating tourism to a single sector. The plan is backed by a €3.4 billion modernisation and sustainability framework channelled through EU recovery funds, structured in a three phase roadmap delivered via two year action plans.
Key objectives include combating overtourism by addressing regions dying of success such as Barcelona, Málaga and the Balearic and Canary Islands, protecting resident livelihoods by ensuring locals can afford housing, and promoting geographic diversification by encouraging slow travel and longer stays pushing footfall toward inland, rural and lesser-visited regions. Tourism accounts for 12.6 pc of Spain’s GDP and supports about three million jobs.
