5 Aug, 2019 @ 12:13
1 min read

Drop in British tourists heading to Spain due to Brexit can be replaced by Germans and French, new figures suggest

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THING OF THE PAST? Benalmadena beach packed with British tourists (CREDIT: Olive Press)
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SIZZLING: Beach in Benalmadena

GERMAN and French tourists are filling the void left by the drop in British tourists to Spain. 

The latest numbers show its closest neighbours are visiting – and spending – more than their British counterparts.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, June saw a 5.3% drop in British tourists year-on-year, compared to a surge in German and French holidaymakers, of 8.4% and 8% respectively.

Other markets also saw a notable boost, with visitors from Switzerland soaring 20.1%, Portugal by 17.9% and the United States 9.4%.

It comes as the ongoing Brexit saga has seen the British pound drop considerably against the euro amid increasing uncertainty and threats of a no-deal exit.

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Catalunya welcomed the most international tourists in June

Overall, the number of international tourist arrivals in Spain rose 3.2% in June year-on-year, with a total of 8.8 million visitors.

Tourists spent €9.69 billion and continued eleven months of expenditure growth, thanks a lot to the French and Germans.

The British still spent the most in June, splashing out €1.945 billion, however this was a 4.3% drop on the year before.

The Germans, meanwhile, propped up the drop, spending €1.3 billion, a 7.5% increase while the French spent €664 million, an 8.8% increase.

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The Balearics were the second-most popular destination for foreign tourists in June

JANUARY TO JUNE

From January to June, British tourists spent €7.747 billion, representing a 1% increase on the same period last year.

The Germans, meanwhile, spent €5.313 billion in the same period, a 2.1% year-on-year increase.

The French spent €2.962 billion, a 0.8% increase.

Spain is set to record another record year after welcoming 38.2 million international tourists in the first half of 2019, before the heights of July -September.

The first six months of this year show the UK still brought in the highest number of tourists with 8.3 million, but it was a 1.4% decrease on last year.

While Germany sent 5.3 million holidaymakers, however, it was a 3.4% year-on-year increase.

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Spain set for another record year in tourism

HOTSPOTS 

In June, Catalunya reigned supreme among Spain’s holiday destinations.

The home of Barcelona and Sitges welcomed 2.15 million tourists, enjoying a 2.2% year-on-year increase.

The Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera and Menorca) followed closely behind with 2.06 million international visitors, a 2.6% decrease.

Andalucia was third with 1.24 million visitors however it enjoyed a 6.4% increase on the year before.

Tourists spent the most in Catalunya, followed by the Canary Islands and Andalucia.

Laurence Dollimore

Laurence has a BA and MA in International Relations and a Gold Standard diploma in Multi-Media journalism from News Associates in London. He has almost a decade of experience and previously worked as a senior reporter for the Mail Online in London.

GOT A STORY? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call +34 951 273 575 Twitter: @olivepress

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