Tourism has become a key sector for the Catalan economy, with a contribution of over 12% of the gross domestic product (GDP). The attractiveness of this territory, and especially of Barcelona, is not diminished by the heatwaves that have occurred in recent weeks or by the increased cost of airline tickets and transport in general. In fact, visitors from other countries are the ones that have grown the most, with almost 2.7 million in July, a figure that represents an increase of 2.5% compared to the same period last year and a new record in the historical series, which collects data since 1999. As the data evolves, everything seems to be on track to set a real record, which would place Spain at 100 million tourists this year. Catalonia, with Barcelona as the main pole of attraction, receives around a third of the total foreign visitors.

Tourism, both in Catalonia and in the State as a whole, faces another historic summer. The data up to May, on the eve of the start of the high summer season, which officially begins in mid-June, show new records. Between January and May, 7.54 million foreign tourists arrived in Catalonia, 4% more than last year and a historic record. In Spain, 36.8 million international tourists arrived, 5% more than in the same period of 2025.

"You won't believe it: I've found a restaurant!" shouts a boy to three other young people who, when they hear it, celebrate as if their team had just scored a goal. One of the big challenges for the visitors who chose Calella de Palafrugell yesterday was to find an establishment with a free table. If it were not for the face masks, the images of the town's streets and beaches was very similar to that of the pre-covid period: families and couples spread out on the sand - with some brave people taking their first bath of the year - and shops that welcomed with open arms the hundreds of people who took the opportunity to stroll among the white houses and the promenades facing the sea that characterize Calella.