Americans are back in Spain

Catalonia and Madrid continue to be the preferred destinations for visitors from Spain’s sixth-most important market

In the middle of the high season for tourism, and with Spain’s summer figures not yet back to pre-pandemic levels, the U.S. market is surging, with 1.8 million Americans visiting Spain, 17.4% more than in the same period in 2022.

Key takeaways

• Spain is not the preferred EU country for Americans, whose top European destinations continue to be the United Kingdom, France and Italy;
• But the large size of the U.S. market and its margin for growth make it a key asset for Spain’s tourism industry: throughout 2022 tourist volume from the U.S. increased by 249.5%, spending by 250.8% and overnight stays by 239.6%;
• The proportion of U.S. tourists as a share of total visits to Europe is also growing. Between January and March, 2,947,720 American travelers arrived on the continent, which was the top overseas destination for Americans with a share of 14.5%.

Get the full story at El Pais