Summer vacation is already behind us, and although the beginning of autumn can bring a certain melancholy, it's actually a great time to get away and travel leisurely. Watching the landscape change from a bicycle, a ferry, or a train window seems light years away from a quick getaway, but more and more travelers are opting for this more leisurely and conscious way of getting around, making the journey itself one of the most essential parts of the trip. Also known as slow travelThis type of experience not only aims to be slower, but also seeks a purpose: to connect with the territory, have time to discover every detail, and reduce the environmental impact. To achieve this, one of the main objectives is to stop traveling by plane and opt for the train.

After the most severe lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and once the borders were lifted and movement was restored, Spanish families didn't hesitate to pack their bags and travel. Health restrictions not only caused some households to accumulate a significant savings pool Not only did the recovery of mobility boost tourism, but in Spain, and also in Europe, tourism has always been one of the driving forces of the economy. The post-COVID boom in tourist spending among Spanish families, and therefore the change in their consumer habits, was seen as a temporary issue. However, some organizations now see it differently.

Fewer tourists, but almost the same expenditure. Despite the fact that, by number, international visitors arriving in Spain still have not reached pre-pandemic levels (in May there were 7 million tourists), they do match them in terms of the money spent during their stay. Tourist spending reached €8bn in May, according to data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) on Monday. This is almost six times more than the figure for the same month in 2021 (€1.4bn) and reaches pre-pandemic levels, i.e. 2019, when tourists spent €8.1bn. This scenario lead the sector to optimism in the run-up to the high season, which is now starting.