Spain | Real-time tourism flow analysis May-Aug 2026

Total tourism spending in Spain grew by 5.7% year-on-year in the second four-month period of 2026, driven by foreign spending (+8.8%), which accelerated due to geopolitical tensions and events like the August solar eclipse. In contrast, domestic tourism moderated, with a growth of 2.5%.

Key points

• Key points:
• Extremadura, Navarra, Asturias, and Aragón stood out for the growth in total spending, while Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands were key drivers of the acceleration compared to the previous period.
• Spending by foreign visitors increased across all regions, with acceleration driven by Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community. Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia, and Aragón showed greater dynamism.
• The solar eclipse of August 12, 2026, had a significant regional impact, boosting spending by foreign travelers by 25.7% year-on-year in areas with 100% visibility, with peaks in Soria (+220.1%).
• Domestic tourism spending grew in all regions except the Balearic Islands. The slowdown in growth was widespread but most pronounced in Catalonia and Andalusia; Extremadura, Navarra, and Castilla-La Mancha led the growth.
• Wildfires in late July 2026 affected domestic tourism. In the province of Ávila, in-person purchases fell by 24.3% year-on-year during the week of July 23–29—a difference of 24.1 percentage points compared to the rest of Spain.

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