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

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.

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.

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.

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.