According to the results of Frontur, a survey on foreign tourist arrivals conducted by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, 41.5 million foreign tourist visited Spain during the first eight months of the year, corresponding to an increase of 2.2% on last year’s figures.
As regards statistics for August 2007, a total of 7.7 million tourists visited Spain, up 3% on figures for August 2006. Practically all of the markets and Spanish communities have registered growth. Of this total, 27.2% were from the United Kingdom, 17% from France, 16.7% from Germany, 6.4% from Italy, 5.3% from Scandinavia, 4.2% from Holland, 3.9% from Portugal, 3% from Belgium, 2.8% from Ireland, 2.3% from Switzerland, 1.8% from the States, and 9.5% from the rest of the world.
In August 2007, 57.8% of all arrivals (4.4 million tourists) stayed at hotels, up 4.2% on figures from August 2006. While 41.8% (3.2 million) chose other types of accommodation, corresponding to an increase of 1.4%. Between January and August, 62.6% of all arrivals (26 million tourists) stayed at hotels, up 3.7% on figures for the same period last year. While 36.7% (15.2 million) chose other types of accommodation, a figure similar to that registered in 2006 (-0.2%).
With 1.1 million tourists, Andalusia received 14.9% of all arrivals in August. Maintaining the positive trend registered at the beginning of the year, arrivals were up 12% on last year’s figures. The community’s main markets were the United Kingdom and France, with 12.4% and 8.5%, respectively. The German market, which is the third most important, grew 20.3% with respect to last year’s figures.
Between January and August, 6.1 million tourists visited Andalusia (14.8% of the national total), up 7.2% on the figures for the same period last year. The United Kingdom and France, the region’s main markets, with 35.6% and 14.2%, respectively, both experienced growth: the former 3.4% and the latter 14.2%.
The principal Spanish destination was Catalonia, with an increase of 1.5% with respect to last year’s figures, due to the good performance of the British and French markets, followed by the Baleares (18.2%) and Andalusia (14.8%).
