Spain's Tourism in 2026: Where Demand Is Rising, Where It's Cooling
Spain welcomed 36.8 million international tourists during the first five months of 2026, representing a 5% increase year-on-year. According to Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE), the country is on track to surpass 100 million international visitors for the full year.
Tourist arrivals and spending continue to grow
May alone brought a record 10.3 million international arrivals, an increase of 9.5% compared with May 2025.
Tourist spending is growing even faster than visitor numbers. International tourists spent more than €50 billion during the first five months of the year, an increase of 8.5%.
This indicates that growth is not being driven only by a higher number of visitors. Average spending per trip is also increasing.
The UK's position as Spain's largest source market
The United Kingdom remains Spain's largest source market by a wide margin. More than 7 million British tourists visited Spain during the first five months of 2026, representing growth of 3.6%.
France ranked second with 4.6 million visitors, up 1.5%, followed by Germany with 4.5 million visitors and approximately flat year-on-year growth.
Although France and Germany remain major markets, both are growing more slowly than Spain's international tourism market overall.
Faster growth from long-distance markets
The strongest growth is coming from markets located further away. In May alone, arrivals from the United States and the rest of the Americas increased by more than 12–15%.
This growth suggests that Spain is attracting a broader international visitor base beyond its traditional European source markets.
Which Spanish regions are receiving the most tourists?
Catalonia led international arrivals in May with a 21% share, followed closely by the Balearic Islands with 20.6% and Andalusia with 15.9%.
All three regions recorded growth above the national average.
During the earlier winter months, the Canary Islands held the leading position. This reflects a seasonal pattern in which tourism demand typically moves towards mainland Mediterranean destinations as summer approaches.
Practical takeaway for Costa Blanca management companies
The Costa Blanca does not appear as a separate destination in the three leading regional figures reported by INE because it forms part of the wider Comunitat Valenciana.
However, the Comunitat Valenciana has consistently recorded double-digit regional growth alongside Andalusia during 2026.
British travellers remain the largest source of international tourism demand in Spain, and this demand is strongly concentrated in the same Mediterranean coastal market in which the Costa Blanca competes.
For property management companies operating in the region, continued British demand, rising tourist spending and the growth of the Comunitat Valenciana indicate favourable market conditions, even though the Costa Blanca does not appear separately in the national headline rankings.