Tourists in Malaga city centre. francis silva

Foreign tourists in Andalucía spent more in May than before the pandemic

In total they boosted the regional economy by 1.1 billion euros, had a budget of 1,100 euros for their holiday and spent an average of 144 euros a day

Monday, 4 July 2022, 18:26

May 2022 marked a turning point for spending by tourists in Andalucía. Figures just issued by the National Institute of Statistics show that international visitors spent a total of 1.1 billion euros in the region, which was more than in the same month before the coronavirus pandemic.

So far this year, and before the peak season began, Spain has recovered 80% of the foreign tourists it had in 2019. The good outlook for the summer, based on bookings so far, show that international tourism is likely to continue its recovery in the next few months, despite rising prices. “Our country is very competitive and the price increases are a global phenomenon,” said the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, about the figures.

In May 1,036,243 visitors from abroad came to Andalucía. Their average budget was 1,100 euros, which was 12% higher than a year previously, and they spent about 144 euros a day, an increase of 29%. However, they stayed for a shorter time: 7.6 days.

Andalucía is the third most popular region of Spain after the Balearic Islands and Catalonia, and its biggest source market continues to be the UK, with 27.8% of the total, followed by France with 10.8%.

Andalucía, one of the top destinations

A report carried out by Visa also concludes that Andalucía is one of the favourite destinations for foreign visitors to Spain this summer. For example,it says that one in every four Americans who come to this country will choose to stay in the region.

When asked what they like to do during their stay, 54% of foreign tourists said they enjoy cultural visits, 43% like to relax on the beaches and 42% prefer to explore the countryside.