Alex Trelinski
FOREIGN tourists are allegedly being put off from returning to Spain on holiday due to summer heatwaves, according to a CaixaBank survey.
The study claims that up 14% of international visitors who wanted a repeat visit, are shying away from a return because of record-breaking temperatures in recent years.
CaixaBank reached its conclusions by cross-referencing temperature levels with card spending recorded by payment terminals in tourist areas in 2022 and 2023.
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It suggests that the propensity for repeat usage drops during a heatwave and therefore equates this to tourists being put off coming due to the weather.
The study says that UK and US tourists are the most sensitive over high temperatures with those from France and Portugal the most resilient.
CaixaBank Research’s claims the figures highlight the vulnerability of foreign tourists to heat waves and the need for climate change to be addressed.
“This underscores the importance of the tourism sector actively participating in the fight against climate change and implementing measures to mitigate its negative effects,” it said.
Despite the study, Spain is projected to set a new foreign tourist record this year with more than 90 million visitors and airports regular breaking passenger records.
According to the State Meteorological Agency(Aemet), the chances of higher-than-normal temperatures during this summer vary between 70% and 100%- depending on what part of Spain is analysed.
