Foreign tourist visits to Catalonia drop in September, marking second-worst summer in a decade

The summer of 2025 was the second worst on record for international tourist visits to Catalonia.

Figures released on Tuesday by Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) show that overseas arrivals fell by 1.36% in September.

This marks the third consecutive month of decline, following drops of 1.16% in July and 4.34% in August.

Based on available records since 2015, and excluding the pandemic year, this summer ranks as the second worst, with 6,559,377 international visitors.

Despite three months of declines, the number of foreign visitors from January to September increased slightly by 0.2%, making 2025 a record year overall.

Catalonia also remained Spain’s most popular destination, ahead of the Balearic Islands and Andalusia.

Average daily spending per visitor in September rose nearly 10% year-on-year, reaching €238 per day.

The number of overnight stays in Catalonia, however, fell by 5.7% in September compared to last year, marking five consecutive months of decline.

The average length of stay also dropped slightly, from 5.59 days last year to 5.35 days this year.

The data align with the new tourism strategy implemented by the Catalan and Barcelona governments, which focuses on attracting so-called "quality tourists:" visitors who spend more, stay longer, and explore the region more widely.

According to the government, this type of tourism generates less crowding and disruption for residents compared to mass tourism.

A reduction in visitor numbers combined with higher spending is precisely the goal of this new model, which recent data suggest is beginning to show results.