According to FRONTUR – The Inbound Tourism Survey, drafted by the General Sub-directorate of Tourism Information and Studies of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, this increase translates into three million more non-resident travellers visiting Spain than in the same period last year.
The top emitting markets in the period January-August were the United Kingdom, Germany and France, in particular. In relative terms, all autonomous regions posted year-on-year growth, with the Canary Islands (11.9%) and the Region of Madrid (8.8%) posting the highest figures.
For the first time in a single month, Spain was visited by 9,070,024 inbound tourists in August. This is a year-on-year increase of 8.8% and a new all-time record in the FRONTUR figures.
In August, the United Kingdom maintained its position as top emitting market for tourists visiting Spain, with 2,136,879 tourists; France was second, with 1,981,643 tourists; and Germany was third, with 1,290,777 tourists. The United States (with an increase of 35.4%), Portugal (with an increase of 24.4%) and Italy (with an increase of 15.5%), were the emitting markets posting the highest growth rates.
Catalonia was the region visited by the highest number of tourists in August – 2,411,942, with an increase of 7.5%. This was followed by the Balearic Islands, with 2,193,677 tourists (up 6.2%) and Andalusia, with 1,186,226 tourists (up 5.6%). In August, the highest increases were posted by the Region of Madrid (19.1%) and the Canary Islands (12.4%).
Main emitting markets
Accounting for 23.6% of all inbound tourists in August, the United Kingdom maintained its position as top emitting market with 2,136,879 tourists, an increase of 5.8%. British tourists mostly travelled to the Balearic Islands and, to a lesser extent, the Canary Islands, Andalusia, Catalonia, the Region of Valencia and the Region of Madrid. The United Kingdom also holds the top spot in the figures on the period January-August, in which time 10,584,155 British tourists visited Spain – an increase of 5.6%.
Representing the second emitting market in the month, 1,981,643 French tourists visited Spain in August, accounting for 21.8% of the total, with an increase of 9.4%. French tourists mainly chose to visit Catalonia, but a significant number also visited the Region of Madrid, the Basque Country and Castile Leon. France accounted for 16.8% of all inbound tourists between January and August, with 7,633,543 tourists, with an increase of 10.4%.
Accounting for 14.2% of the total in August, 1,290,777 German tourists visited Spain – a significant increase of 11.8%. The Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands were the most popular destinations for German tourists. 7,112,667 German tourists visited Spain between January and August, an increase of 7.5% and accounting for 15.7% of the total in the period.
Italy was the next emitting market in August, with 7.2% of the total, 652,242 tourists and the third largest increase in the month (15.5%). Italy has consolidated the recovery that started 9 months ago. Italian tourists mostly travelled to Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. In the first eight months of 2014, 2,607,130 Italian tourists visited Spain – an increase of 13.7%, which is the second-highest increase in the period.
362,413 tourists visited Spain from the Nordic countries in August, accounting for 4% of the total and an increase of 1.5%. They travelled to almost all autonomous regions, although their numbers declined in the Canary Islands. 3,466,340 Nordic tourists visited Spain between January and August, an increase of 7.1% and accounting for 7.6% of the total.
With 334,549 tourists and an increase of 1.7% in August, tourists from the Netherlands accounted for 3.7% of the monthly total. Between January and August, 1,941,105 Dutch tourists visited Spain – an increase of 4.4% and accounting for 4.3% of the total.
It is worth noting the 35.4% growth posted by the United States in August (147,404 tourists) that accounted for 1.6% of the total and the 24.4% growth posted by Portugal (309,752) that accounted for 3.4% of the total.
Main destination autonomous regions
In August, Catalonia was the top destination autonomous region with 2,411,942 tourists, 26.6% of the total and an increase of 7.5%. The majority of tourists visiting Catalonia came from France and Italy. Between January and August, 11,693,055 tourists visited Catalonia – accounting for 25.8% of the total and an increase of 6.1%.
The Balearic Islands were visited by 2,193,677 inbound tourists in August, an increase of 6.2% and 24.2% of the total. The tourists visiting the Balearic Islands were mostly German, Italian and Belgian. Between January and August, 8,482,524 inbound tourists visited the Balearic Islands, an increase of 2.2% and 18.7% of the total.
Andalusia was the third most popular destination with 1,186,226 tourists, 13.1% of the total and an increase of 5.6%. The tourists visiting Andalusia were mostly British and French, although a large number were from Germany and Belgium. Between January and August, 5,979,922 tourists visited Andalusia – accounting for 13.2% of the total and an increase of 8.1%.
The Canary Islands were visited by 978,902 in August, accounting for 10.8% of the total and maintaining its position as fourth destination autonomous region. Its growth of 12.4% in the month was the second-highest. The top emitting markets were the United Kingdom and Germany. In the first eight months of the year, 7,517,556 inbound tourists visited the Canary Islands, accounting for 16.6% of the total and the highest rate of growth in the period, which stood at 11.9%.
919,142 tourists visited the Region of Valencia in August, accounting for 10.1% of the total and an increase of 8.1%. The region’s top emitting markets were Germany, Portugal, France, Russia and Belgium. Its top emitting market, the United Kingdom, posted a decline. 4,414,201 inbound tourists visited the Region of Valencia between January and August, an increase of 5.1% and 9.7% of the total.
However, the highest year-on-year growth in the month – representing19.1% – was posted by the Region of Madrid, which was the chosen destination for 352,179 tourists in August, accounting for 3.9% of the total. The region’s main emitting markets were France with a significant increase and the more distant countries. 3,005,581 inbound tourists visited the region between January and August, up 8.8% and accounting for 6.6% of the total.
Form of travel, accommodation and type of holiday
Air travel was the chosen form of travel for 72.7% of the total, with 6,596,964 tourists in August and an increase of 8.3%. 2,232,838 inbound tourists entered Spain by road, 24.6% of the total. 2.6% of all inbound tourists arrived by other means. Air travel was also the most popular form of travel in the first eight months of the year, with 36,006,938 inbound tourists arriving by air – representing79.3% of the total, with an increase of 6.7%. 8,538,214 inbound tourists arrived by road, representing 18.8% of the total, with an increase of 9.1%.
Hotel accommodation was chosen by 4,869,345 tourists in August, 53.7% of the total and an increase of 4%. 4,200,679 tourists stayed in non-hotel accommodation, 46.3% of the total, with an increase of 15%.
The number of inbound tourists travelling independently rose by 14.9% in August – to 6,850,355 – accounting for 75.5% of the total, while 2,219,669 tourists chose to travel on a package holiday, a decrease of 6.6%. Between January and August, 31,904,130 inbound tourists travelled independently, accounting for 70.3% of the total and an increase of 6.6%, while the 13,480,352 who travelled on a package holiday accounted for 29.7% of the total, with an increase of 9%.
Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/44983/
Car and Motor Insurance | Spanish Home Insurance | International Money Transfers | Send Money to Spain | Spain Property | Online International Payments | Property in Spain
Costa Blanca Property for Sale | Cabo Roig Property for Sale | International Payments |
RAJOY WELCOMES RESULT OF SCOTTISH REFERENDUM
FILLING HEARTS WITH HOPE
