As prices in Spain continue to increase, especially in the hospitality and restoration industry, British tourists are forced to make adjustments in some of their vacation habits. For example, instead of enjoying the typical dinners out in restaurants, many have opted for Buy food in supermarkets and eat in your hotel rooms,
Although the number of tourists from the United Kingdom in Spain remains high, spending has decreased considerably. According to the Barcelona hospitality association, almost half of the restaurants in the city have experienced a drop in their income during this summer, and some of them mention that tourists have changed their habits, Buying more food in supermarkets and reducing the number of times they go out to eat or drink outside.
Tourists, like Kenneth Calendar, who traveled to Barcelona from Edinburgh, as he says in an interview with The i Paper They have adjusted their budget eating in their rooms during the day and reserving the dinners in restaurants at night. “We have reduced a bit doing picnics and then eating outside at night,” he says.
Some of the factors are inflation or increased food prices, which are forcing tourists to rethink how they spend their money during their vacations. Despite the fall in spending, tourist figures are still a record, with More than 44 million international visitors Registered in the first six months of 2025, according to the National Statistics Institute of Spain.
In addition, some entrepreneurs, such as Kate Preston, owner of several restaurants in Barcelona, affirm the same medium that, although the prices of their menus have not risen much since the pandemic, the decrease in the expense is remarkable, with a reduction of income between 10% and 20%. It should be noted that this not only occurs in Barcelona, but also affects other destinations such as the Balearic Islands and the Costa Brava.
