Catalonia sees 6% drop in international tourists in January, but spending surges 22%

Catalonia welcomed over one million international tourists in January, but the total – 1,010,902 – fell 6.2% compared to last year. Arrivals hit a record 1,076,814 in January 2025.

Despite the decline, Catalonia remained Spain's second most popular destination for foreign visitors, accounting for 19.7% of arrivals, behind the Canary Islands at 27.8%, according to data published on Wednesday by Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE).

The drop in arrivals contrasts with spending figures, which rose sharply.

Total expenditure reached €1.274 billion, up 14.8% year-on-year, while the average spend per visitor jumped 22.4% to €1,260.

Tourists stayed an average of 6.8 days, 8.6% longer than in January 2025, generating a total of 6,779,098 overnight stays, similar to last year.

Spain

Spain received 5.1 million international tourists in January, a 1.2% increase from the same month in 2025.

The United Kingdom remained the largest origin country, with 897,095 visitors, up 3.3% year-on-year.

Germany contributed 527,327 tourists, down 2%, while France accounted for 517,788 visitors, down 19.5%.

Total spending across Spain rose 9.3% to €7.805 billion, with each international visitor spending an average of €1,522, up 8% from a year earlier.

Podcast

The increase in tourist spending comes amid Catalonia's efforts to promote so-called 'quality tourism.'

Critics, however, warn that the strategy may boost revenue without easing pressure on local communities, public services, or the environment. 

Our recent podcast explores the debate in detail: Quality tourism in Barcelona – promise or illusion?

 

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