Foreign tourists spent 13.4% more in Catalonia in 2013

Madrid (ACN).- Foreign tourists spent €14.02 billion in Catalonia in 2013, 13.4 % more than in 2012, according to the Tourist Expenditure Survey (EGATUR) of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. The average spending per stay amounted to €903 per foreign visitor, 4.9% more than in 2012, while the daily spending was set at €120 per person, 1.4 % more than the previous year. In terms of foreign tourism spending, Catalonia is thus the leading Autonomous Community in Spain, followed by the Canaries, the Balearic Islands and Andalusia. Catalonia accounted for 23.7 % of foreign tourism spending in Spain, which reached €59.08 billion. Furthermore, tourism spending increased more in Catalonia than in any other Autonomous Community in Spain and is well above the Spanish average, which amounted to 9.6%. The latest figures indicate that the Catalan 13.4 % increase is only matched by Valencia’s 13 % growth. The Canaries are in third position with an 11.6 % increase, followed by the Balearic Islands and Andalusia with 8.4%and 8.3%, respectively. Madrid grew by only 1.8%.

In terms of money generated from tourism spending, Catalonia is leading Spain. The €14,022 million foreign tourists spent in Catalonia (23.7% of the total amount) greatly exceed the €11,684 million (19.8%) spent in the Canary Islands or the €10,683 million (18.1%) spent in the Balearic Islands. Andalusia comes in fourth position with €8,390 million (14.2%), followed by the Valencia Autonomous Community (also called Valencian Country) with €5,203 million (8.8 %). Madrid is in sixth position with €4,981 million (8.4%).

Madrid, the Canaries and Andalusia lead average spending per stay

For each trip to Catalonia, tourists spent on average €903 per person in 2013, that is to say 4.9% more than in 2012. In this respect, Madrid (€1,185 per person, 7.4% more than in 2012), the Canaries (€1,099 per person, 6.4% more) and Andalusia (€1,066 per person, 3.5% more) are all three ahead of Catalonia. Valencia is right behind Catalonia, with €873 per person, 1.4% more than in 2012, while the Spanish average amounts to €976, a 3.7 % increase.

The average daily spending in Catalonia amounted to €120 (1.4% higher than in 2012), and was far behind other Spanish Autonomous Communities. Madrid is the leading area in this respect, with tourists spending an average of €162 per day (7 % more than in 2012). In the Balearic Islands, daily spending reached €114 per day (3.9% more), in the Canaries €113 per day (4.5 % more), in Andalusia €96 (4.2% more), and in Valencia €76 (4.2% more). The Spanish average is set at €109 per day, representing a 3.3% increase over 2012.

High number of foreign visitors account for record tourism spending

In the whole of Spain, tourism spending totalled €59.08 billion, a record according to the Ministry of Industry which is both due to an increase in the average spending per stay but also to a significant growth in the number of tourists, which registered a 5.6% increase over 2012. The Nordic countries registered a growth of 19.4 %, France of 17.9 %, Germany of 7.9%, and the UK of 7.8%. The most spectacular growths, however, are those of Russia and China, with increases of 28.9% and 27.1 %, respectively.

For total spending, the UK is the largest source market with €12,021 million, an increase of 7.8 % over the previous year. British tourists account for 20% of total spending in the whole of Spain. Germany follows with €9,722 million, a 7.9 % increase and France with €5,926 million, a 17.9 % increase.

€621 million in Catalonia in December

In December 2013, foreign tourists spent €621 million in Catalonia, meaning 3.3% more than the same month the previous year. This accounts for 19.5% of the total tourism spending in Spain and implies that in Catalonia, each person spent an average of €829 per stay, 14.5 % less than in December 2012. Finally, on average, each tourist spent €114 per day, 0.5% less than in 2012.