Spain says 37.5 million foreign tourists visited in the first half of 2023, up 24% from 2022
FILE - People sunbathe on the beach in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, July 9, 2021. Spain received 37.5 million international tourists in the first half of 2023, a 24% increase from the same period last year, the government announced Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Joan Mateu, File)
Spain received 37.5 million international tourists in the first half of 2023, a 24% increase from the same period last year, the government announced Wednesday.
The figure is lower than for the same period in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, when 38 million tourists arrived. But officials say the numbers are a sign that international tourism has rebounded strongly since the health crisis.
Visitors from Britain topped the tourist list, totaling some 8 million, followed by some 5 million tourists from both France and Germany.
Spain is heavily dependent on tourism, which accounts for 12% of gross domestic product.
The northeastern region of Catalonia, including Barcelona and the Costa Brava, was the most visited area.