Seville, Spain. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK Spain Breaks Records: 17.1 Million International Tourists in the First Quarter of 2025.
Spain continues to attract millions of tourists. According to data from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) released on May 5, the first quarter of 2025 (January to March) saw 17.1 million international tourists visiting the country - a 5.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024, marking a new record for this time of the year.
In March alone, approximately 6.6 million tourists arrived in Spain from abroad - a rise of 3.8% compared to March last year. Most visitors (about 5.7 million) arrived by air, representing a growth of 5.8% over the previous year.
International tourism revenue also showed a positive trend, totaling €23.5 billion – a 7.2% increase compared to the first quarter of 2024.
Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain. Photo: shutterstockThe UK remained the leading country in terms of visitor numbers, with about 3.1 million tourists, followed by France and Germany. The regions that welcomed most of the tourists were the Canary Islands, Catalonia, and Andalusia.
According to INE, the data indicates a continued recovery trend in Spain's tourism sector, strengthening in comparison to the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of course, Israelis are also contributing to Spanish tourism, including via a new route launched this week between Tel Aviv and the island of Mallorca.
