Spain records 9.1 million visitors in April, highest monthly total

Spain received 9.1 million international visitors in April, the highest number ever recorded for that month. The total marked a 5.2% increase, or 450,000 additional arrivals, compared with April 2025. The country ranked as the world's second-largest tourist destination in 2025, behind France, after receiving 97 million foreign arrivals.

Regional conflict shifts visitor patterns Industry representatives in Benidorm said the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has increased bookings as travelers seek alternatives to destinations such as Dubai, Turkey and Cyprus. A university lecturer in Madrid stated that some visitors who previously chose Turkey or Egypt for lower prices are now traveling to Spain.

The same pattern occurred during the 2011 Arab Spring, according to local tourism officials, though they said they would prefer to compete without the advantage of regional instability.

Local concerns over housing and visitor numbers Residents in several cities have staged protests since 2024 over the effects of tourism on housing costs and daily life. A tenants' union representative in Valencia said landlords increasingly set rents based on what foreign visitors can pay rather than local salaries.

The left-wing coalition government fined a holiday rental platform €65 million in December for advertising unlicensed apartments. Barcelona has announced plans to revoke all 10,000 short-term rental licenses by 2028 and to double its tourist tax for cruise passengers.

The Exceltur tourism association has called for improved relations between the industry and residents. A geography lecturer at Complutense University said no measure implemented so far has reduced overall visitor numbers.