Record first half for Spain
Spain recorded its highest visitor numbers to date in the first half of 2013.
Over 34 million international tourists visited the region – the highest figure on record, according to government statistics.
July 2013 was also a record month with 7.9 million international tourists travelling to Spain, representing a 2.9% year-on-year increase.
The UK saw a 3.4% yearly increase in visitors to Spain in July 2013 and this period accounted for almost a quarter (23.3%) of all international visitors.
During July 2013, Catalonia was the most popular tourist destination in Spain welcoming more than 2.1 million tourists (up 3.1%) and capturing more than a quarter (26.7%) of all international tourists to Spain for that period.
The Balearics followed closely registering over 2 million international tourists (up 1.7%) with Germany, the UK, the Nordic countries and Russia all contributing positively to this growth.
Andalucía saw the largest year-on-year rise in international tourist visits welcoming almost 1 million tourists (up 8.5%) in July, with the Nordic countries and the United Kingdom accounting for the majority of this rise.
The Canary Islands saw in excess of 840,000 visitors (up 2.7%), with the UK and the Nordic countries accounting for the majority of visitors.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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