Number of Britons visiting Spain drops 5.6% in July

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts

Get Simon Calder’s Travel email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

The number of Britons visiting Spain dropped 5.6 per cent year on year in July, as holidaymakers returned to cheaper destinations like Turkey and Egypt.

According to official data from Spain’s statistics agency INE, the total number of tourists to Spain decreased for the first time in nine years, falling 4.9 per cent year on year to 2.2 million in July.

July is an important month for summer tourism to the country, with visitors coming to enjoy its beaches, historic towns and lively cities.

The tourism industry is a key one for Spain. It accounts for around 11 per cent of the economy and employs more Spaniards than any other industry. Spain is the second most visited country in the world, according to the latest United Nations World Tourism Organisation Tourism Highlights report, ahead of the USA and trailing France.

In 2017, Spain welcomed 81.8 million international visitors, second after France, according to the UNWTO report released last week. Spain is also second for international tourism receipts, with $68bn spent by visitors in 2017.

Over the first seven months of 2018, there was a gradual climb in the number of international visitors. The number inched up by 0.3 per cent to 47 million, the lowest growth rate in eight years.

Spain’s international visitor drop comes as Turkey is experiencing a resurgence in tourism, with tour operator Thomas Cook reporting a 63 per cent year on year jump in bookings to Turkey for 2018. British holidaymakers are finally returning to the country following a series of attacks and an attempted military coup in 2016. The Turkish lira recently reached an all-time low against the pound, making it a better value destination for visitors from the UK.

The tourism industries in Egypt and Tunisia are also gradually picking up.