Spain continues to exceed all expectations in its annual number of tourists, after Spanish Industry Minister Reyes Maroto announced her expectation of receiving about 29.6 million tourists during summer 2019.
Spain is the world's second most visited tourist destination annually after France. Although some expected growth to slow as other Mediterranean destinations such as Turkey and Tunisia recover, the Spanish industry minister confirmed this week that the increase in 2019 will exceed last year by more than 500,000 visitors, according to The Local Es.
Maroto said: "Spending is also expected to set a new record, rising by 3.2% in the period from July to September to reach about 34 billion euros compared with last year."
Spain recorded a record 82.6 million tourists to its shores last year, with the British accounting for the largest share. Tourism continues to form the main pillar of economic growth in Spain, accounting for 11.9% of GDP in 2018, according to Exceltur data, as the tourism sector contributed about 142 billion euros in sales last year, an increase of 2% over 2017.
It should be noted that Spain is suffering from the increase in the number of tourists visiting some cities after a fierce backlash from local residents, especially in Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and Madrid, where city councils are seeking to limit the rental of tourist accommodation.
