Catalonia received over 17 million foreign tourists in 2015, an increase of 3.7% on the previous year
According to the preliminary figures presented today by the Minister for Business and Knowledge, Jordi Baiget, spending by foreign tourists increased by 3.4% to over 15.6 billion euros.
The figures reveal another good year for tourism in Catalonia.
Tourism has grown more in the low season than in the high season, showing that efforts to deseasonalise tourism are paying off.
Wednesday, 20 January 2016.– Today the Minister for Business and Knowledge, Jordi Baiget, presented the preliminary figures for tourism in Catalonia in 2015.
According to the first closing figures prepared by the Directorate-General for Tourism, Catalonia received over 17.4 million foreign tourists in 2015, an increase of 3.7% on the previous year, generating expenditure of 15.625 billion euros (up by 3.4%).
Accompanied by Marian Muro, the Director-General for Tourism, and Xavier Espasa, Director of the Catalan Tourist Board, Mr. Baiget presented the figures at the opening of the Catalan stand at the Fitur trade fair which started today in Madrid.
According to the Minister, ‘Catalonia is a major Mediterranean destination for international tourists. One in every four visitors to Spain comes to Catalonia.’ He highlighted the ‘commitment of the industry and government to improving quality. We have achieved strong results both in quantitative and qualitative terms. This is reflected in average daily spending figures which keep going up’.
He also spoke about Catalonia's successful efforts to deseasonalise tourism:
‘Catalonia is now much more than a summer sea and sand destination, with
tourists increasingly drawn by other attractions such as gastronomy, business or cycling tourism. He pointed out that ‘3% of foreign visitors to Catalonia come in the low season and almost 50% of tourist spending is generated outside the summer months’.
2014 2015 % Year-on-year
change 2015-2014 Foreign tourists
(thousands) 16,793.80 17,417.3* 3.70%
Total spending
(billion euros) 15.113.70 15.625.0* 3.40%
Average daily spending (€) 117.7** 121** 2.81%
Source: IET Frontur and Egatur
*Note: the figures for December 2015 are based on estimates (**) 2014 and 2015 January to September figures
Foreign tourists by outbound market
A review of visitor numbers from the main outbound markets highlights increases in the number of tourists from the United States (25.9%), France (8.2%), the United Kingdom (6.5%) and the rest of Europe (8.1%). France continues to be the main outbound market, accounting for 28.6% of the total, with the number of visitors up by almost a million since 2013. Russia was the market that shrank the most, with numbers down by 31% on 2014. This is due to the country's political and economic instability and therefore does not just affect Catalonia, while the trend is expected to reverse from 2016.
Tourist numbers
(thousands) 2014 2015* % Year-on-year change
2015-2014
France 4,602.1 4,981.5 8.2%
United Kingdom 1,781.8 1,898.5 6.5%
Germany 1,429.4 1,306.3 -8.6%
Italy 1,331.2 1,291.2 -3%
Russia 833.4 574.8 -31%
The Netherlands 814.3 818.7 0.5%
Nordic countries 758.0 766.4 1.1%
Belgium 592.3 609.6 2.9%
United States 512.0 644.4 25.8%
Rest of Europe (1) 2,062.2 2,229.4 8.1%
Rest of world (2) 2,077.3 2,368.1 14%
TOTAL 16,793.8 17,417.3 3.7%
Source: Turespaña FRONTUR and EGATUR
(1) Switzerland, Ireland, Austria, Hungary, Portugal, etc.
(2) Japan, China, Brazil, Canada, India, etc.
* Note: the figures for December 2015 are based on estimates.
Spending by foreign tourists by outbound market
Total spending by foreign tourists continued to grow in 2015 and was up by 3.4%
on the previous year.
The most notable increases were in spending by visitors from the United Kingdom (up 10.4%), the United States (12.6%) and the Nordic countries (8.3%). The figures for spending by tourists from the rest of Europe and the rest of the world were also strong, with spending increasing by more than visitor numbers.
Spending
(millions of euros) 2014 2015* % Year-on-year change 2015-2014
France 2.474 2.468 -0.2%
United Kingdom 1.329 1.468 10.4%
Germany 1.199 984 -17.9%
Russia 1.133 765 -32.4%
United States 1.095 1.234 12.6%
Italy 833 828 -0.6%
Nordic countries 706 765 8.3%
The Netherlands 619 625 1%
Belgium 447 437 -2.2%
Rest of Europe (1) 1.621 1.781 9.8%
Rest of world (2) 3.658 4.281 17%
TOTAL 15.113.7 15.625 3.4%
Source: Turespaña FRONTUR and EGATUR
(1) Switzerland, Ireland, Austria, Hungary, Portugal, etc.
(2) Japan, China, Brazil, Canada, India, etc.
* Note: the figures for October to December 2015 are based on estimates.
2010-2015: Foreign tourist numbers and spending
Note: the figures for December 2015 are based on estimates (*) Figures for January to September 2015
n/a: Figures are not comparable as the periods do not match
The number of tourists visiting Catalonia and the spending generated have increased over the last five years. Tourist numbers have increased by 32% in this period while total spending has grown by 49%. Each tourist spent an additional 100 euros compared with 2010. Average spending in the first nine months of 2015 was higher than that for the whole of 2014.
Other indicators
According to the first figures from the Directorate-General for Tourism, in 2015 there were around 75.4 million overnight stays in hotels, campsites, tourist apartments and rural tourism establishments, 4.6% more than in 2014, with significant growth in the number of Catalan tourists and those from the rest of Spain.
OVERNIGHT STAYS 2014 2015
% Year-on-year change
Foreign tourists 47,882,335 49,157,865 2.66
Rest of Spain 8,104,312 8,532,385 5.28
Catalans 16,023,561 17,672,103 10.29
TOTAL 72,010,208 75,362,353 4.66
Source: IDESCAT/INE.
*Note: the figures for December 2015 are calculated assuming the same growth rate as in December 2014.
Finally, the Catalan tourist sector employed between 360,000 and 406,000 workers in 2015 (the figures for the final quarter are not yet available), approximately 12-13% of Catalan jobs.
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Change 2010-2015 Foreign tourists (thousands) 13,154.50 13,143.20 14,439.80 15,617.00 16,793.8017,417.30 32.41%
% year-on-year change -0.10% 9.80% 8.10% 7.20% 3.70%
Total spending (BEUR) 10,453.90 10,963.90 12,363.60 14,163.00 15,113.7015,625.00 49.47%
% year-on-year change 4.80% 12.70% 14.50% 6.10% 3.40%
Total spending per tourist and stay (euros) 801 838.1 860.6 907 900 899.3* nd
Average daily spending 98.1 108.8 111,8 121.5 120.1 121* nd
Employment in the tourist sector in Catalonia
(thousands)
1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter 4th quarter
2014 349,300 382,700 410.900 374,500
2015 364,000 398,300 406,300 -
% increase 4.2% 4.1% -1.1% -
-: No figures available Final figures
SOURCE: EPA (Idescat and INE)
Catalonia at Fitur 2016
At its stand at Fitur, which has a floor area of over 900 m2, the Catalan Tourist Board is showcasing Catalonia's wide range of attractions for tourists, while the region's nine tourist brands (Costa Brava, Costa Daurada, Terres de Lleida, Costa Barcelona, Paisatges Barcelona, Pirineus, Val d’Aran, Terres de l’Ebre and Barcelona) are also presenting their new products.
Based on the advertising campaign slogan Catalunya és casa teva (Catalonia is your home), the stand is laid out like a traditional kitchen and larder, reflecting the fact that Catalonia was declared European Region of Gastronomy 2016 and the Catalan Tourist Board's promotional theme for the year is food and wine tourism.
Other attractions on the stand include a simulator where visitors can experience the thrill of driving on the Barcelona-Catalunya Formula 1 racing circuit, and an area dedicated to Barcelona Football Club. Another innovation is an activity area with two zones containing simulators. The first is an active journey around Catalonia, with a chair capable of three-dimensional movements through 360º to give the user the most realistic experience possible. The roller-coaster like movements are combined with virtual reality projections, and the whole experience can be shared via social networks.
Visitors can also don virtual reality goggles to enjoy five different experiences, including a 3D, 360º gastronomic tour and skydiving in Empuriabrava.
As in previous years, Catalan cuisine is highlighted at the stand with a traditional gastronomy area, organised this year by Tortosa's Institut Joaquim Bau (Terres de l’Ebre), with the support of Cellers Torres, Cava Codorníu and Estrella Damm.
Participants at the Catalonia stand
Catalan Tourist Board
Barcelona
Turisme de Barcelona
Paisatges Barcelona
Barcelona Provincial Council Tourism Promotion Office
Cardona
Igualada
Manresa
Montserrat
Vic
Costa Barcelona
Barcelona Provincial Council Tourism Promotion Office
Calella
Castelldefels
Malgrat de Mar
Mataró
Pineda de Mar
Sant Sadurní d’Anoia
Santa Susanna
Sitges
Vilafranca del Penedès
Vilanova i la Geltrú
Granollers
Sabadell
Terrassa
Costa Brava
Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board
Blanes
Lloret de Mar
Girona
Costa Daurada
Tarragona Provincial Council Tourist Board
Calafell
Cambrils
Creixell
El Vendrell
L'Hospitalet de l'Infant i la Vall de Llors
Mont-roig del Camp - Miami Platja
Reus
Roda de Berà
Salou
Tarragona
Torredembarra
Vila-seca, la Pineda Platja
Aquopolis Costa Daurada
PortAventura
Ferrariland
Terres de l'Ebre
Tarragona Provincial Council Tourist Board
Alcanar
Amposta
Ascó
Terra Alta County Council
Deltebre
L'Ampolla
Tortosa
Sant Carles de la Ràpita
Terres de Lleida
Lleida Provincial Council Tourist Board
Montsec
La Segarra
Urgell
Pla d’Urgell
Segrià
Garrigues
Val d’Aran
Conselh Generau d’Aran
Pirineus
Alt Empordà
Alt Urgell
Alta Ribagorça
Berguedà
Cerdanya
Garrotxa
Pallars Jussà
Pallars Sobirà
Ripollès
Solsonès
Val d’Aran
Other companies and institutions
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
FCBarcelona