Spain | National tourist spending fell during Easter, but foreign spending increased

According to BBVA card and POS data, during Easter 2024, total tourist spending fell 2.2% year-on-year compared to the same holiday period last year.

Key points

Key points:
The decrease in tourist spending was due to the sharp decline in consumption by BBVA clients outside their usual province of residence in Spain, which fell by 8.3% compared to the same holiday period in 2023.
On the contrary, spending made with foreign cards at BBVA POS in Spain showed high dynamism and grew by 7.4% compared to Easter last year.
According to the community of destination, only in three regions (Asturias, Aragon and La Rioja) did spending by Spaniards outside their usual province of residence grow compared to Easter 2023.
With respect to foreign spending, the northern regions were the territories where consumption by residents outside Spain recorded the greatest advances. On the other hand, a strong decline was observed in the Balearic Islands and in Catalonia, Andalusia and Madrid the increases were less pronounced.
In provincial terms, only in eleven territories did spending by Spaniards outside their usual province of residence grow. In particular, some mountain tourism destinations stood out, such as Lleida, Huesca and Zaragoza, as well as Melilla, Valencia and Asturias.