International tourists spent €713 million in Catalonia in January

International tourists spent €713 million in Catalonia this past January, which represents nearly 18% more than what they spent in the same period last year. In Spain as a whole, international tourists spent more than €3.712 billion in January, which despite representing a 3.6% increase compared to the same month last year, is much lower than the rise registered in Catalonia. In fact, according to data released by the Spanish Statistics Institute (INE), Catalonia is the only region in Spain in which the average spend per person grew in the first month of the year. The average spend registered in January totalled 958 euros per person, 1.3% more than in January last year, while the daily spend per tourist was 159 euros, 16.7% more than in the previous January.

Tourists at Santa Maria de les Monges' monastery, in Lleida's region (by ACN)
Tourists at Santa Maria de les Monges' monastery, in Lleida's region (by ACN) / ACN

ACN

March 7, 2016 04:03 PM

Barcelona (CNA).- International tourists spent €713 million in Catalonia this past January, nearly 18% more than what they spent in the same period last year. According to data released by the Spanish Statistics Institute (INE), Catalonia is the only region in Spain in which the average spend per person grew in the first month of the year. International tourists spent, on average, 958 euros per person, 1.3% more than in January last year, while the daily spend per tourist was 159 euros, 16.7% more than in the previous January. In Spain as a whole, international tourists spent more than €3.712 billion in January, which despite representing a 3.6% increase compared to the same month last year, is much lower than the rise registered in Catalonia. Each tourist’s average expenditure in Spain as a whole was 1,056 euros, which represents 6.9% less than in January last year. The daily spend also fell, by 0.7%, in comparison to January 2015.  


International tourists tend to spend less days in Catalonia but they spend more money. At least this is what happed this past January in comparison to the same month in 2015. The average length of an international tourist's stay in Catalonia was shorter this past January than in the same period last year. They spent six days, which is 13% less than in January 2014. However, their average expenditure was much higher, totalling 958 euros. The daily expenditure was one of the figures which registered the highest growth; it totalled 159 euros per day, which is 16.7% higher than in January 2015. Most of the money goes to lodging; according to INE, this is what 3 out of every 5 euros are used for.

In Spain as a whole the international tourist’s expenditure also grew in January, but much less than in Catalonia. They spent more than €3.712 billion in the first month of the year, representing a 3.6% increase compared to the same month last year. However, each tourist’s average expenditure in this case was 1,056 euros, which represents 6.9% less than in January last year. This trend is the same in the other regions in Spain and Catalonia, therefore, is the only region in Spain in which the average spend per person grew in the first month of the year.