The 25 main destinations of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coast of Spain recorded a break from nearly one million local tourists
The Spaniards are not being able to follow the climb of prices in the bathing zones. In the 25 main Spanish destinations local tourism recorded 800,000 people last year, while the number of foreign visitors increased by 1.94 million, according to an Inatlas analysis, cited by Reuters on Monday.
A phenomenon that also happens in the country’s main cities, which registered 400,000 visits in 2024 as opposed to the increase of nearly three million foreign tourists.
“Prices have risen scandalously. The whole Spanish coast is very expensive,” says Wendy Davila, quoted by Reuters.
Wendy Davila, 26, had a trip to Cádis on the south coast, however, due to too high prices, he was forced to cancel and opt for a more economical vacation in Burgos interior. “Now you don’t go on vacation where you want, but where you can,” he lamented.
Over the past three years, Reuters writes, there has been an average increase of value per night in a hotel of about 23%.
According to the technitarian price monitoring company, leases with the beach have also risen 20.3% since 2023, and most of the summer holidays are made in the first quarter of the year.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for Spanish tourists to pay tourist incomes by the seaside,” says Tecnitasa group president José Maria Basanez.
Spain depends to a large extent on tourism, a sector that contributes over 13% of GDP. The neighboring country has 48 million inhabitants, half the number of foreign visitors per year.
According to Inatlas, foreign tourists remained, on average, eight nights on the main Spanish beaches, and the places can only pay half of this stay time and spend a quarter of money.
Increased foreign tourists is a trend that is expected to be maintained. Spain, the second most visited country in the world, following France, foresees a record of 100 million visitors this year.
