Spain welcomed 9.1 million international tourists in April, 5.2% more than in the same month last year, consolidating the strength of the tourism sector at the start of 2026.
The United Kingdom was once again the main source market, with around 1.7 million visitors in April, 2.7% more than a year earlier. France ranked second, with about 1.3 million tourists (+5.1%), while Germany recorded a 9.1% decline, to 1.2 million travellers.
Catalonia was again the main destination for international tourists in April, accounting for 20.8% of all arrivals. It was followed by Andalusia and the Valencian Community, which also recorded a high influx of foreign visitors.
With these figures, Spain has received a total of 26.5 million international visitors between January and April, 3.4% more than in the same period of 2025, according to data published on Monday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). The figure keeps the sector on a trajectory compatible with the symbolic threshold of 100 million tourists a year, a barrier that only a few months ago seemed hard to reach in 2026.
April marks a turning point
Tourism started the year showing signs of a slowdown. However, growth has gained pace through the spring. The increase in arrivals in April represents the strongest year-on-year rise recorded in the past 12 months and confirms the strength of international demand for Spain.
Analysts point to several factors behind this trend, including the recovery in long-haul travel, especially from the American continent, a rebound in business travel and the search for destinations seen as stable in an international context marked by geopolitical uncertainty.
In this context, a number of industry experts believe that the conflict in the Middle East may be favouring a redistribution of tourist flows towards destinations perceived as safer, including Spain and other Western European countries.
Although it is difficult to measure the impact of this phenomenon precisely, the acceleration seen in March and April coincides with an increase in travellers from long-haul markets and with a recovery in business travel. For the industry, this combination of factors helps explain why tourism growth has strengthened after a more moderate start to the year.
The trend in arrivals reinforces the prospect that Spain could once again end the year with record figures. Nonetheless, the industry insists that the aim is not only to increase the number of visitors, but also to improve profitability and attract higher-spending travellers.
If the current trend continues during the peak summer season, Spain could move close to the symbolic barrier of 100 million international tourists in a single year, an unprecedented milestone for the national tourism industry. Booking patterns and demand over the coming months will be crucial in determining whether that target ultimately becomes a reality.
This text was translated with the help of artificial intelligence. Report a problem : [feedback-articles-en@euronews.com].
