SPAIN’S tourism industry is set to smash records this year.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has forecast that the sector will contribute a staggering €260.5 billion to the country’s GDP by 2025 – nearly 16% of the entire national economy.
The bullish projections represent a 4.7% year-on-year increase and cement Spain’s position as a global tourism powerhouse, with the industry expected to support 3.2 million jobs by the end of 2025, equivalent to 14.4% of total employment.
International tourist spending is predicted to hit €113.2 billion next year, up 5.7% from 2024, while domestic spending could reach €84.9 billion – a 2.4% increase on the previous year.
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The forecasts come after Spain’s tourism sector enjoyed its best performance since 2019 last year, contributing €248.7 billion to GDP (15.6% of the economy) and supporting three million jobs.
International visitors splashed out €107.1 billion in 2024 – up nearly 11% year-on-year – while Spanish holidaymakers spent €82.9 billion domestically.
It comes as forecasters differ over whether Spain will finally break the 100 million visitor barrier this year after welcoming 94 million in 2024.
While the WTTC predicts arrivals will break the 100 million barrier, industry body Exceltur has issued a more cautious projection of around 97 million, suggesting Spain may fall just short of the record milestone.
British tourists remained Spain’s largest source market in 2024, accounting for 20% of all international arrivals, followed by France (14%) and Germany (13%).
The data will be welcomed by the thousands of British-run businesses across the costas that depend on the steady stream of visitors from the UK.
Julia Simpson, President and CEO of WTTC, praised Spain’s tourism resilience: “Spain remains a true global tourism powerhouse.
“The data reflects a dynamic, resilient and constantly evolving sector, which not only drives economic growth, but also creates quality jobs and promotes regional development.”
She added that Spain is ‘well positioned to lead the future of global tourism, even in a challenging international environment’ thanks to its commitment to sustainability and innovation.
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The sector’s dominance shows no signs of waning, with leisure travel accounting for 88.3% of total expenditure in 2024 compared to just 11.7% for business travel.
Looking further ahead, WTTC projects that by 2035, tourism could contribute €315.7 billion to Spanish GDP – more than 17% of the economy – while supporting four million jobs, some 700,000 more than today.
The rosy projections mirror broader European trends, with the EU’s travel and tourism sector contributing almost €1.8 trillion to the region’s GDP in 2024 – more than 10% of the economy and exceeding 2019 levels by nearly 6%.
Spain’s tourism success story continues to benefit from its year-round appeal, world-class infrastructure and competitive pricing, making it an increasingly attractive destination for both short breaks and longer stays among European visitors.
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