Spain’s tourism appeal broadens beyond major gateways

Familiar favorites, subtle shifts

Spain’s top six destinations by search volume — Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca, Málaga, Alicante, and Ibiza — remain unchanged compared to the same period last year. However, search volumes for the three largest (Barcelona, Madrid, and Mallorca) have slightly softened. The trend may point to travelers developing an appetite for less traditional destinations across Spain.

Meanwhile, it’s the smaller Spanish hot-spots that are enjoying a surge in attention. Destinations representing less than 5% of total searches to Spain have grown by 2% year-on-year overall . It is a meaningful shift in a market of this scale.

The trend underlines a growing opportunity for destinations outside the traditional tourism corridor to position themselves as attractive alternatives — particularly those with strong cultural heritage, natural beauty, or family-friendly coastal offerings.

Menorca challenges Mallorca and Ibiza in the Balearics

The Balearic Islands collectively account for a striking 22% of all international searches to Spain this summer. Mallorca and Ibiza still dominate with 90% of that regional share. However, Menorca is emerging as the island to watch in 2025.

With a 17% year-on-year increase in searches and a gain of 1.8 percentage points in market share compared to summer 2024, Menorca is resonating with a broader range of travelers. Known for its laid-back vibe, unspoiled beaches, and family-friendly resorts, Menorca contrasts to the party-focused reputation of Ibiza and the bustling, cosmopolitan feel of Mallorca.

This shift is being driven in large part by demand from key source markets: flight searches to Menorca from Portugal (+41%), Italy (+38%), and France (+16%) are all showing notable growth. Conversely, searches from the UK — historically the dominant market — are down by 3%. British travelers show stronger intent for Ibiza and Mallorca.

Mahon city hall in the old town in Menorca (Photo: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Murcia and Valencia: regional growth stories

Beyond individual cities, two Spanish regions stand out as top performers this summer. Murcia and Valencia are experiencing the largest increases in international travel intent:

Murcia: Up 13% year-on-year, with Corvera airport recording especially strong growth driven by travellers from Ireland (+92%), France (+70%), and Belgium (+44%).

Valencia: Up 9%, reflecting growing international appeal thanks to a blend of urban charm, coastline, and cultural richness.

These regional success stories align with broader trends in European travel. ForwardKeys sees that lesser-known yet well-connected destinations are increasingly gaining ground. These destinations offer a mix of affordability, authenticity, and experience-led travel.

Spain definitely remains the indisputable leader in European travel this summer. But the spotlight is slowly shifting from its traditional heavyweights to its emerging destinations. This diversification in travel intent not only spreads the economic benefit of tourism more widely. It also helps ease the pressure on popular hot-spots — a vital step toward a more balanced and sustainable tourism model.