Spain’s tourism economy set to exceed €269 billion in 2026

International

WTTC raises its growth forecast to 4.1%, with Spain outperforming European and global tourism markets as international spending reaches record levels

Spain’s Travel & Tourism sector is expected to contribute more than €269 billion to the national economy in 2026, according to the latest Economic Impact Research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The organisation has raised its growth forecast for the sector to 4.1%, up from an earlier projection of 3.7%, reflecting Spain’s continued strength as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations.

The revised outlook places tourism growth ahead of Spain’s projected overall economic expansion of 2.7%. It also exceeds the expected performance of Travel & Tourism across Europe, where growth is forecast at 3.1%, and globally, where the corresponding figure stands at 2.5%. The figures were presented during the sixth Turespaña Convention, where WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara addressed representatives of Spain’s tourism industry.

International business travel is also contributing to the positive outlook. Spending by international business visitors is forecast to increase by 8.1% in 2026, indicating further growth beyond Spain’s established leisure tourism market. For the WTTC, the combination of strong international demand, investment and cooperation between government and the private sector remains central to the country’s tourism performance.

Record visitor spending strengthens Spain’s position

The latest forecast follows an exceptionally strong year in 2025. Travel & Tourism contributed €259 billion to Spain’s economy, representing 15.3% of gross domestic product. The sector supported approximately 3.2 million jobs, equivalent to one in every seven positions across the country.

Spain welcomed 96.8 million international visitors in 2025, making it the world’s second most visited destination. International visitor spending reached €115.8 billion, the highest total recorded by any European country.

These figures underline the economic importance of international tourism. Foreign visitors accounted for 58.7% of total tourism spending in Spain, while international leisure travellers alone generated €98.5 billion.

Spain represented 6.5% of international visitor spending worldwide and 15.6% of the European total, according to the WTTC. Its performance also illustrates how tourism revenue has expanded beyond the recovery of visitor numbers following the pandemic.

International visitor spending in 2025 was 21% higher than in 2019, compared with an increase of just 2.3% across Europe. Meanwhile, the sector’s contribution to Spanish GDP stood 19.9% above its pre-pandemic level, significantly exceeding the European increase of 6.5%.

The WTTC attributes this development partly to investment, international connectivity and cooperation between public institutions and tourism businesses.

Sustainable growth becomes the next challenge

Despite the strong economic indicators, the WTTC emphasises that maintaining Spain’s competitiveness will require more than continued increases in visitor numbers.

The organisation identifies four priorities for the coming years: sustainability, responsible destination management, innovation and workforce development.

A central challenge is achieving a better geographical and seasonal distribution of tourism demand. Encouraging visitors to explore destinations beyond established tourism centres, extending travel activity outside peak periods and taking residents’ wellbeing into account are among the measures highlighted by the organisation.

The WTTC also calls for stronger investment in digital technologies and artificial intelligence, alongside training programmes that enable tourism businesses to adapt to changing market conditions. Small and medium-sized enterprises are considered particularly important in this process.

Gloria Guevara stressed the role of cooperation between public authorities and the private sector in maintaining the industry's momentum. She also acknowledged the support of Madrid’s city and regional governments in establishing the WTTC’s global headquarters in the Spanish capital.

Earlier in October, the organisation presented Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, with its Global Champion Award during the WTTC Global Summit in Malta, recognising his contribution to tourism competitiveness and public-private collaboration.

At the international level, the WTTC is promoting a broader agenda that includes easier and more secure travel, improved connectivity, investment, sustainable destination management, workforce development and diversification of source markets.

For Spain, these priorities reflect a changing tourism policy challenge. With international arrivals approaching 100 million annually and tourism already accounting for more than 15% of GDP, future success will increasingly depend on how effectively the country manages growth, distributes its economic benefits and maintains the quality of its destinations.