The Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) published provisional data from the FRONTUR and EGATUR surveys for July 2026 on 1 September 2026. They show that a total of 11.5 million international visitors travelled to Spain in July 2026, an increase of 4.6 per cent compared with July 2025. For the same month, the INE reports spending of €18.218 billion up 10.9 per cent. Both monthly figures are records in the INE’s data series. As the figures are marked provisional, later revisions may change them; the data were released on 1 September 2026.
International arrivals totalled 58.1 million in the cumulative period from January to July 2026, also a record high according to the INE. Total spending over these seven months rose by 7.8 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier. The INE identifies the United Kingdom, France and Germany as the main countries of origin: nearly 2.2 million visitors came from the United Kingdom in July, around 1.6 million from France and about 1.2 million from Germany. Their contributions and growth rates varied by market, but all three contributed significantly to the record.
By region, Illes Balears was the leading destination in July, accounting for 22.3 per cent of arrivals, followed by Catalonia and the Canary Islands. EGATUR data provide further information on spending patterns, average length of stay and daily expenditure; spending rising faster than arrivals points to higher expenditure per trip and per day, influenced by price trends and the mix of services on offer during the peak season.
Economically, the figures underline the central importance of international tourism to Spain: revenue, employment and regional public finances are visibly benefiting. At the same time, experts urge caution over potential risks such as exchange-rate fluctuations, geopolitical factors and shortages in flight capacity. Claims about the sustainability of this trend should only be confirmed once final annual figures are published.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).