Last updated: October 14, 2022, by Grant Thomas 

🔖Cite this webpage (Thomas, Grant. “Latest Spain Travel Statistics & Data”. visasassociation.com, October 14, 2022, https://visasassociation.com/statistics/spain-travel-statistics

Note: The latest travel and Schengen Visa statistics available about Spain are for 2021. We will update this page as soon as 2022 travel data and statistics on Spain are available.     

Highlights: Latest Spain Tourism Statistics & Trends 

Tourism in Spain Start to Recover in 2021 but Remains Far Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

Due to the imposition of local and national measures in Spain in 2020, international tourist arrivals plunged by 70% with unprecedented effects on jobs and businesses. 

While the tourism industry in Spain saw a gradual improvement thanks to the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and the easing of restrictions, the country failed to reach half its pre-pandemic levels in 2021.

The pace of recovery remained slow due to vaccination rates, traveller confidence and the spread of the Omicron variant which prompted new travel restrictions. 

Just over 31 million tourists visited Spain in 2021, 39% more compared to 2020. However, that was a far cry from the 83.5 million who visited Spain in 2019.

Schengen Visa Applications & Tourism in Spain: Latest Trends

Spain’s Schengen Visa approval rate from 2015 to 2021

Countries that submitted the highest number of Schengen Visa applications for Spain from 2015 to 2021

Top 5 countries that submitted the highest number of Schengen Visa applications for Spain in 2021

Approval rates for the countries that submitted the highest number of Schengen Visa applications for Spain in 2021

Top 5 third countries that had the highest rejection rates for the Schengen Visa for Spain in 2021

International Tourist Arrivals in Spain from 2015 to 2021

Contribution of the tourism sector to GDP in Spain from 2015 to 2021

Spain: Share of overnight visitors and same-day visitors from 2015 to 2021 

Spain: Average tourist spending per person per trip from 2015 to 2021

Spain: Average tourist spending per person per day from 2015 to 2021

Share of the total GDP generated by the travel and tourism industry in Spain between 2015 and 2021

International tourist arrivals in Spain from August 2015 to August 2021

Number of bookings in non-hotel accommodations in Spain from August 2015 to August 2021

Number of hotel bookings in Spain from August 2015 to August 2021

Sources:  

EUROSTAT – Tourism Statistics 

European Commission – Statistics on short-stay visas issued by the Schengen States 

STATISTA – International Tourism in Spain – Statistics & Facts

National Institute of Statistics – INE

epdata.es – El turismo en España y en el mundo, en datos y gráficos 

DATAESTUR – Information on Spain’s tourism industry 

OECD – Spain  

datosmacro – España – Turismo internacional 

 dataestur – SelecciĂłn de los datos más relevantes del turismo de España