Catalonia welcomes nearly 2.4 million international tourists in July, up 0.8%

Catalonia received 2,374,497 international tourists in July, 0.8% more than in the same month last year, according to provisional data released on Tuesday by Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE).

Year-on-year figures have risen for four consecutive months since April, reversing the slowdown in growth among foreign visitors recorded last summer.

International tourists spent around €3.71 billion in Catalonia in July, 13% more than a year earlier.

The number of international visitors reached a record for the January-July period, with 11,943,342 tourists, approaching the 12 million mark, up 2.9% from the first seven months of last year.

The number of international tourists visiting Catalonia in July increased again after falling 1% year-on-year last year.

However, they have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, including the nearly 2.6 million foreign visitors recorded in July and August 2017, when monthly records were set.

Foreign visitors spent a total of 15,477,706 nights in Catalonia in July, 8.6% more than a year earlier.

That was the highest figure since the pandemic, although still below pre-2020 levels. In July 2017, foreign visitors spent nearly 18 million nights in Catalonia.

The average stay was 6.47 nights, up from 6.09 nights in July last year. It was also the longest average stay recorded in a July since 2021, when international visitors stayed for around 6.6 nights on average.

Average daily spending by international tourists reached a July record, at €241, up 5.5% year-on-year. It was nevertheless below the €267 recorded in June, the highest daily figure so far this year.

International tourists spent €3.71 billion in Catalonia in July, 13% more than a year earlier. Catalonia ranked second among Spain’s regions for total spending by foreign visitors, behind the Balearic Islands, where spending reached €4.15 billion, up 8.3% year-on-year.

Over the course of their stay, international tourists spent an average of €1,561 each in Catalonia in July.

Catalonia: most visited part of Spain so far this year

Spain received around 11.5 million international tourists in July, 4.6% more than in the same month last year. Between January and July, Spain received 58.1 million foreign visitors, also up 4.6% year-on-year.

Catalonia was Spain's second most visited autonomous community in July, accounting for 20.6% of all international visitors, behind the Balearic Islands with 22.3%. Andalusia ranked third, with 14.6%.

For the January-July period, however, Catalonia was Spain's most visited autonomous community, with 11.9 million foreign visitors, ahead of the Balearic Islands with 9.2 million and the Canary Islands with 9 million.