- Spain recorded €18.22bn in tourist spending in July 2026, up 10.9pc year-on-year
- International arrivals reached 11.5m in July, the highest single-month figure on record
- Average spending per visitor was €1,579, up 5.9pc
- England led source markets with 2.2m visitors and €3.04bn spending
- Short-term rental accommodation grew by 12pc, outpacing hotel growth of 3.8pc
Foreign tourist spending in Spain reached a new July high of €18.22bn, up 10.9pc on the previous year according to data released by the National Statistics Institute. Spain recorded a massive milestone in July 2026, welcoming 11.5m international tourists who spent a record-breaking amount, representing a 10.9pc surge in year-on-year spending despite rising prices across the travel sector. The figures solidify Spain’s robust tourism performance for the first seven months of 2026, putting the country on track to hit a projected 100m visitors by the end of the year.
The 11.5m international arrivals in July represent a 4.6pc increase compared to July 2025, standing as the highest single-month figure in Spain’s historical tracking series. Average spending per visitor in July was €1,579, up 5.9pc, while daily spending rose 3.7pc to €218. Between January and July 2026, Spain hosted 58.1m international tourists with cumulative spending reaching an unprecedented €82.05bn, an annual increase of 7.8pc. England led international source markets, contributing nearly 2.2m visitors and €3.04bn, representing 16.7pc of total spending.
Regional distribution concentrated in three destination communities, with the Balearic Islands leading arrivals at 22.3pc of the total, followed by Catalonia with 20.6pc and Andalusia with 14.6pc. Alternative short-term rentals grew by 12pc, outpacing traditional hotel growth of 3.8pc. The data reveals that spending growth significantly outpaced the growth in tourist numbers, indicating increased individual expenditure per visitor.
