Elisa Menendez
FEARS are growing for the tourism sector in Spain after the country suffered a dramatic drop in visitors this summer.
It comes after the country received almost a million less holidaymakers than predicted this July, according to the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE).
There was a 2.2% decrease in tourists from January to June and a 3.1% drop in overnight stays.
Some 82 million holidaymakers visited the country in 2017 – 42 million from Britain, France and Germany.
A sharp drop in visitor numbers in the first six months of 2018 has caused the government to fear a slowdown, stagnation or decline in tourism for the third quarter of the year, revealed an August 2018 report by national tourism body, Turespana.
The organisation predicts a 4.2% decline in the number of British tourists in Spain during this quarter, although they are expected to spend 5.3 percent more and will make up 1.9 percent more of overnight stays.
It should, of course, read “…almost a million FEWER holidaymakers….”. Just part of the subtlety of the English language!
As I keep saying, Can Spain afford a hard Brexit?
Part of the decrease might have been caused by the new Andalucian regulation for private home rental. Many of those who would rent their home for short times refuse to apply and qualify for a license. It is not worth the effort compared with the yield.
While other countries offer more private homes, tourists may choose a country with more choices than Andalucia and the Balearic Islands.