A new report suggests that Spain will overtake France to become the world’s most visited country by 2040. The study, titled “NextGen Travellers and Destinations,” was jointly conducted by Deloitte and Google.
The report predicts that 110 million visitors will choose Spain in 2040, a significant increase from last year’s record figure of 84 million. While the study does not detail the rationale for Spain’s rise to the top, factors such as an average of 300 sunny days per year, affordable airfares, and milder winters are believed to contribute to this projection.
A Caixabank study published last month highlighted the rapid growth of Spain’s tourism industry, which is expanding at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the economy. This growth is bringing in unprecedented income as visitors spend more each year. Spain is set to exceed 90 million tourist arrivals by the end of 2024, surpassing the record-breaking 85 million in 2023 and well above pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Airports across Spain are breaking passenger records almost monthly, and tourists are now spending an average of €1,300 each — 19% more than they were pre-pandemic. This surge in spending has led to the tourism sector representing a staggering 13% of the national GDP.
However, the Google-Deloitte survey does not seem to have considered the potential impact of new restrictions on holiday apartment rentals in tourist cities or the effects of protests in areas like the Canary Islands, the Balearics, and Barcelona.
