THE opinion of tourism in Spain has improved over the past year, according to a new report, but complaints over rising housing costs and overtourism continue to exist.

The latest Tourism Perception Barometer gave the tourist sector a score of 5.4 out of 10 during the second quarter of 2026, up 0.7 points compared to the same period last year.

The study suggests that Spaniards are becoming slightly more positive about tourism, despite growing tensions in many destinations. Housing and overcrowding, being the main topics of concern.

READ MORE: Thousands march through Mallorca mountain town in second huge anti-tourism protest of the summer

The report, conducted by LLYC, was based on the analysis of almost 1.2 million digital messages collected during the last year and 5.8  million since 2022, through social networks, online media and special forums.

According to the report, many residents continue to associate tourism with rising property prices.

The barometer also found growing concern over safety, the state of infrastructure and lack of investments in transport.

READ MORE: More international estate agencies are vandalised in Mallorca ahead of huge anti-tourism protests – as two women are arrested over previous ‘guiris out’ attacks

The areas with the worst rating for their opinion on tourism are the region of Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia. Andalusia’s opinion on tourism was rated the lowest with a 4.5 out of ten. 

The report links Andalusia’s results  to the debate around tourists’ accommodation, overcrowding and problems linked to the high-speed rail network.

The second-to-worst rating comes from Madrid, where the opinion on tourists is rated 4.8 of out ten.  

Surprisingly, Catalonia’s stance on tourism has improved slightly, rating tourism a 4.9 out of ten. Mainly due to the increase in tourist tax in Barcelona.

Also in Valencia the perception has improved to five out of 10 after the local government implemented controls on tourist rentals.

READ MORE: Cheap flights and mass tourism are adding €3,800 to the cost of the average Spanish home, new report warns

In the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands the opinion on tourism has also improved slightly. The Balearic Islands rated the tourism sector a five out of ten and the Canary Islands a 5.2 out of ten. 

Both regions still face difficulties with overcrowding and security. Mallorca held mass protests last month to address this issue.

Areas with the best opinion on tourism are in the north. Extremadura had the highest rating with a 7.7 out of ten, followed by Aragaon and Asturias which both rated 7.5 out of ten.

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