Many Spaniards can no longer afford a beach holiday in their own country, as hotel and rental prices are constantly rising thanks to tourism.
Last year, there was a decline in domestic tourism in the 25 most important destinations on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Spain: Spanish tourists there were 800,000 fewer people, while foreign visitors increased by nearly 2 million (1.94 million people), according to Reuters.
It refers to yet unpublished data from the analytical company inAtlas. This year too, the trend continues, as the second most visited country in the world (after France) expects a record 100 million in 2025. foreign visitors.
Spain is heavily dependent on tourism
"Prices have gone up like crazy. The whole Spanish coast is very expensive," Wendy Davila, 26, told Reuters, after canceling a planned trip to Cadiz on the southern coast. Instead, she and her boyfriend will visit the city of Burgos inland.
"Today, people no longer go on holiday where they want, but where they can," Davila added.
With 48 million inhabitants - half of the annual number of foreign visitors - Spain is heavily dependent on tourism. It accounts for over 13% of the gross domestic product (GDP), the German public media ZDF also points out on the subject.
Prices are constantly rising
According to the analytical company Mabrian, hotel prices have increased by 23% in the last three years - to an average of 136 euros per night.
Data from the consulting firm Tecnitasa indicate that the prices of holiday homes and apartments in seaside resorts have also jumped by over 20% since mid-2023. For the summer season, most apartments are sold out by the end of the first quarter. “It is becoming increasingly difficult for Spanish tourists to afford a holiday apartment by the sea”, says the company's president, José María Bassanes.
Last summer, foreign guests stayed an average of eight nights on Spain's best beaches, analysts at inAtlas calculated. At the same time, Spanish holidaymakers could only afford half that time and had a budget four times smaller than that of foreign tourists, Reuters also reported.