Rose Lapp (Reporter)
OVER six million tourists visited in Spain in June… for the first time ever!
In the best early summer period ever, a staggering 6.3million tourists arrived in the country from abroad.
The stunning figures follow hot on the heels of May, which also broke records with 5.8 million tourists.
Visitors from the UK and Germany made up 40% of June totals, which is a 5.3% increase from last year.
It was Nordic tourists, however, that were primarily responsible for the tourism increase, their numbers rising by 26%.
While all of Spain has seen increases, the big winner this month was the Balearic Islands, which saw an extra 142,000 more tourists than last year, thanks mostly to British travelers.
A record number of tourists also enjoyed the beaches of Andalucia, with the region seeing a rise of 2.5% and 817,000 tourists visiting. Some 30% were from the UK.
The UK continues to account for the largest share of tourism expenditure, representing 22% of all international visitors.
The tourism rise is being seen as a crucial boon for a country which has been mired in recession.
I don t know where these tourist are, but they are not on the costa dorada…it is a disaster here
Well they are not on the Costa del Sol, i have owned a bar here 11 years and this June has been the worst in 7 years. The first five months of the year have shown a bit of growth but June was awful and July at the moment isn’t much better.
Aqui tampoco !!
Luc and Mark have given us first hand accounts from their respective locations – I wonder who produced these wonderful figures – not vested interests surely!
If booking flights to Spain you are seeing fully-booked planes and high prices. The record figures for June are documented in El Pais “http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/07/22/inenglish/1374516767_272795.html” – noticeable that the number of Scandinavians are up 26% – but this was predicted earlier in the year when new flights were announced from Scandi countries.
Every shop owner I’ve talked to on my travels tells me the same – people have just not come this year. Furthemore, the walk-by rates have dropped significantly, so passing trade has really suffered. Two restauarants told me this is there worst year ever.
God knows who makes up these tourist statistics. It probably comes from the same department as the Spanish Treasury department lol.
Where the hell do you go Fred? Costa Blanca is RAMMED at the moment
Sorry for anyone having hard times.
What’s that.. oh it’s my life!! might check back in a few months – I KNOW you’ll still be here Fred moaning away 24/7 in you’re own little playground of DESPAIR!
ADIOS
There are people here and the Scandinavian market has grown from my observations. I own a Spanish bar which caters for all but mainly Spanish and the people this year it seems have no money. There are more Spanish taking their holidays on the coast but are in all included hotels so like the foreigners before have paid a lot of money to book them which leaves little extra spending money.
I have had a family of Irish friends here for a month who rented an apartment on the seafront in Cravajal Fuengirola. There family have been taking holidays here for 30 years and they have been so disappointed with th experience this time that next year they are going somewhere else. Their main complaints were being ripped off by supermarkets, beach bars and how dirty the sea was. I went down to beach to meet them one day and see was grim with Tampax, condons and a lovely brown film on top of the water. They also felt in general that they weren’t wanted here and suffer a lot with rude locals especially on the beach
they are all in Tarifa it is stuffed
A lot of my friends are renting places inland with taking a day trip to the Costa del Sol and/or picking less touristy spots for a bit more peace and quiet. Of course for the doom and gloom crowd the people who I speak of must be mythical creatures made up by the powers that be.
I am happy to hear an increase of tourism inland as inland Andalucia has some amazing countryside. I have always wished that the tourist board would push more the natural parks and countryside as it truly is a market for a type of tourist most places would die for yet here is still relatively untapped