Tourism records in Spain: Economy is booming despite protests!

Tourism records in Spain: Economy is booming despite protests!

In the world of tourism, Spain breaks all records again: In 2024, around 94 million foreign guests visited the southern European country, which corresponds to an increase of 10 percent compared to the previous year. These impressive figures were announced on Wednesday by Tourismus Minister Jordi Hereu, who described the increased income of 126 billion euros as "spectacular and very positive". These successes give hope for further growth; In the first four months of 2025, 26 million tourists are already forecast, which means an increase of 9 percent, and the expenses of the travelers are to increase by another 16 percent, such as Kurier reported.

But not everything is rosy: both in Spain and in Japan, where the number of tourism also reached a record of 36.8 million visitors, there are clear cracks in the tourist facade. The increasing number of visitors in popular destinations such as the old town of Kyoto and the port city of Barcelona have led to growing resistance from residents against mass tourism. People are upset about the overcrowded beaches, the noise and the increasing social tensions, some of which are associated with the increase in holiday apartments. While Spain welcomes the advantages of tourism with open arms, the double edges of this development can be felt more and more, such as vienna.at Fixed.

The economic impulses are undeniable; The tourism industry makes a decisive contribution to the national income, with almost 14 percent of gross domestic product in Spain. In some regions such as the Canary Islands or Mallorca, the proportion is even higher. The growth curve remains steep, but the call for a sustainable tourism model becomes louder. Protests against mass tourism that took place nationwide in 2024 show the urgency to master the balancing act between economic advantages and quality of life of the locals.