The Spanish National Institute of Statistics (INE) has released tourism data for 2024. According to the figures, Spain recorded a 10% increase in the number of tourists compared to the previous year, welcoming 97.8 million visitors. Including day-trippers, this number exceeded 138 million.
According to INE’s report, the United Kingdom was the leading source of tourists to Spain in 2024, with 18.4 million visitors. It was followed by France with 12.9 million and Germany with 11.9 million. Regionally, the most visited destinations were Catalonia, attracting 19.9 million visitors, and the Balearic Islands, with 15.3 million.
Turkish Tourists’ Interest in Spain Reaches Record Levels
The interest of Turkish tourists in Spain has seen a remarkable surge. Speaking at the EMITT Fair in Istanbul, Spain’s Tourism Counselor, Gonzalo Ceballos, stated that the number of Turkish visitors to Spain increased by 77% in 2024 compared to the previous year, surpassing 600,000.
Ceballos said, “After the pandemic, the interest of Turkish tourists in Spain has not only recovered but also exceeded pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, we welcomed 340,000 Turkish visitors, and this number reached 600,000 in 2024.”
Direct Flights Between Turkey and Spain Play a Key Role
Spanish airports welcomed over 1 million passengers arriving from Turkey on direct flights in 2024. The introduction of new flight routes between the two countries played a significant role in this increase.
As of 2024, the newly launched flight routes include:
- Pegasus Airlines introduced the Istanbul-Seville route, operating five weekly flights.
- Vueling launched three weekly flights between Istanbul and Barcelona.
- Air Europa will increase its weekly flights on the Istanbul-Madrid route to daily services starting in July.
Tourism Booming in Spain
Gonzalo Ceballos emphasized that increasing direct flights and streamlining visa processes have greatly contributed to the tourism sector. He also noted the growing interest of Turkish visitors in Spain’s cultural and gastronomic experiences.
As Spain continues to solidify its position as one of Europe’s top tourist destinations in 2024, Turkish tourists are playing an increasingly significant role in this success.
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