Spain is continuing to welcome Russian tourists even as the European Union moves to tighten visa rules for Russian nationals, keeping one of Europe’s biggest holiday markets open for travelers heading to the Spanish mainland and islands.

Spain has not joined calls from some EU states for a wider suspension of tourist visas for Russians, according to the reported policy position behind the issue. That means Russian visitors can still apply under existing Schengen rules, although processing is subject to normal checks and documentation requirements.

The EU has been weighing tougher measures in response to the war, with several member states arguing that Russian leisure travel to Europe should be curtailed. But visa policy remains a national competency within the Schengen system, limiting the bloc’s ability to impose a blanket ban without wider agreement.

For Spain, which depends heavily on foreign tourism, the issue is commercially sensitive. Russian arrivals have been far below pre-pandemic and pre-war levels, but the market still has value for resorts, city hotels and luxury operators, particularly in destinations such as the Canary Islands and Mediterranean coast.

Travelers from Russia have also faced reduced air connectivity to Europe since sanctions and airspace closures upended routes after 2022, making any remaining access to Schengen destinations more important. Spain’s continued openness gives Russian tourists a route into the EU that many other destinations have effectively narrowed.