August confirms the moderation of international tourism in Catalonia

BarcelonaTourist arrivals reached unprecedented levels for the sector since the pandemic, when the lifting of restrictions and vaccination campaigns unleashed a collective euphoria for travel. But this boom is beginning to peak, especially in the most crowded and expensive destinations. This is evidenced by the figures recorded this August, the prime month for vacations, when Catalan hotels once again saw a decrease in international travelers.

In August, some 2.19 million foreign tourists visited Catalonia, a figure that represents a 4.3% drop compared to the same month last year, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) published this Thursday. This trend continues the one recorded for almost the entire summer season, with declines in July (-1.2%) and May (-5.5%). June held up, although not too strongly, with a growth of 0.1%.

This is a moderation compared to other years, but one that residents of tourist destinations packed to the rafters during the summer months, such as the towns on the Costa Brava and the city of Barcelona, don't notice much. All this without forgetting that the tourist season—which runs from March to October—in 2023 and 2024 was very good, with significant increases compared to the previous year, which means that the figures in 2025 will be more modest.

Unlike the saturation seen in the sector in summer, Catalonia has seen an increase in international tourists during the other months. The best figures were seen in January and February, with increases of 12.4% and 7.8%, respectively, in the midst of the trade fair season. This is precisely one of the sector's arguments when it comes to attracting higher-quality tourists, such as those who come for conferences, considering that this profile not only visits the city but also does business, hoping that some of it will stay here.

The improved performance of the first few months of the year has allowed the cumulative figures through August to maintain positive growth. Thus, between January and August, Catalonia welcomed 13.79 million tourists, a 0.2% increase compared to the data from a year ago. However, in the first eight months of 2024, year-on-year growth was 9.7%. However, it remains the autonomous community that welcomes the most travelers from other countries throughout the year, ahead of the Balearic and Canary Islands, with 11.5 million and 10.3 million tourists, respectively. This lead was achieved in August by the Balearic Islands as the main destination in Spain, followed by Catalonia and Andalusia.

Across Spain as a whole, the moderation is weaker. The Spanish state welcomed 11.3 million international tourists in August, 2.9% more than in the same month in 2024. This slowdown is evident when compared to the increases from a year ago, when foreign travelers grew by 7.3% in August, 7.3% in July, 12.1% in June, and 12.1% in June. Despite this year's smaller increases, Spain is heading for another tourism record, with nearly 66.8 million travelers in the first eight months of the year, the highest figure since the INE began compiling these data.

More spending

Despite the drop in international tourists visiting Catalonia this August, those who did come spent more. Total spending reached €3.112 billion, 1.8% more than last year, while the average spending per tourist was €1,423, up 6.4%, a figure that translates to a daily expenditure of €229, up 7.5%. This makes it one of the highest in the entire country, surpassed only by the €366 spent by the Community of Madrid.

But, as has been noted for some time, travelers from other countries who come to Catalonia are there. fewer daysThe average trip length was 6.2 days, down 1%, a downward trend that is repeated almost everywhere in Spain. This issue is closely related to prices, which have become unaffordable for many, with rooms costing €200 a night in the Catalan capital.

Prices are also beginning to slow down, but they have already caused tourists to decide to take shorter vacations. In August, the average price of a room in Catalonia was €146.3, slightly higher than the €145.8 paid a year ago. Even so, the hotel sector has set a precedent in 2025 that has never been seen since the pandemic.whose prices have risen less than general inflation.