“Spain continues to break records for international tourists.” The Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, has highlighted the positive evolution of tourism in Spain, which is once again breaking all records. In 2024, Spain received 94 million international tourists, 10% more than a year before. “Although more important is the spending at destination, the injection of prosperity in the Spanish economy,” Hereu mentioned.
Specifically, they spent 126,000 million euros throughout the year, although the figure is an approximation and not definitive data. “It is a growth greater than that of the number of tourists, 16%. It is qualitative, quality growth, where we must persevere,” Hereu has assumed.
“The figures are truly spectacular and very positive,” but “they force us to care for and maintain the tourism model, with a model of empathy with society and humility because the model has to improve.”
Going for tourists from the US and Asia
“We need to persevere in deconcentrating, but it is already happening,” Hereu pointed out, in terms of destinations and seasons. “Green Spain is growing, as is the interior, which is gaining share and growing more.” For this reason, Hereu pointed out, “we are interested in more markets coming from the United States, Latin America or Asia, which entail more spending per day, on cultural or gastronomic heritage.”
This sustainability enters the field of protests, due to the excess of visitors, and due to tourist housing. “In Barcelona they have decided that in a few years there will be no tourist apartments. It is his power, but it is aimed at the sustainability of the model,” he noted.
“Sustainability is the priority. We saw it in 2021, but in 2024 we have seen it in citizen mobilization, in politics. Reformulating the offer, setting limits is the great asset of governments and autonomous communities. A year ago there were speeches about not imposing taxes, about not limiting the offer in anything and that, in one year, has changed, because there is a legitimate demand that tourism helps us create better cities.” “We must distribute the benefits more, territorially and socially. We must provide more stability and better salaries,” but “we are in that trend.” “From the demonstrations I am left with the positive messages.”
Regarding prices, Hereu has assumed that they will continue to rise this year, which will also help to modernize the offer. “We must regulate what offer we want to present to the world. “I am against illegality, I assume that there have to be different forms of tourism, what may work for Barcelona may not work for a town that is 50 kilometers away, but we are here to support, so that they have more inspection instruments.”
“We want all types of visitors, from all destinations, interests, we don’t just want millionaires. I want young people who come in different proposals and families. It is important that we maintain diversification, but with order and equal rules of the game, that everyone pays the taxes they owe because they are economic activities,” he noted. Regarding what that VAT should be, he has not dared to give a figure, “but what is reasonable would be like other tourist activities. “It would be reasonable for a matter of equity.”
And record in employment
The Ministry’s analyzes indicate that 97% of tourists assume that they are satisfied with the vacation experience, which leads 65% to want to return in the following 12 months.
Looking ahead to the first quarter, “we continue on the same path”, because the Government’s forecast is that tourist spending will grow by 16%, up to 36,000 million euros, with 9% more international visitors, up to 26 million of people. However, there is no forecast for 2025 as a whole, which, again, could break another record and exceed 100 million people. “But we are not obsessed, we want to win the Champions League based on the quality of the experience and not on the number of visitors.”
Regarding employment, the head of Tourism has also expressed optimism. “There is more quality in employment,” because the year closed with 2.6 million affiliated people, 3.6% more than in 2023. “It is the highest number of affiliates in the historical series, 12.7 % of total affiliates in the economy.” Also, because “employees rose by 4.4% and temporary contracts have gone from being one in three in 2019. Now, they are less than one in five.” Specifically, it is 19%. “This is a success for everyone,” concluded Hereu.
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