Spain, which is the second most popular tourist destination in the world after France, is preparing to break a new attendance record, despite the growing social tensions associated with mass tourism.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in the first half of 2024, the number of foreign tourists in Spain increased by 13% compared to the same period in 2023, amounting to 42.5 million visitors. In June alone, an increase of 12%, or 9 million tourists, was recorded, and their expenses reached 12.3 billion. euro, which is 17% higher than the previous year.
Based on these data, INE experts predict that by the end of 2024, more foreign travelers will visit Spain than a year earlier, when their number reached 85.1 million people.
However, such a massive influx of tourists is causing growing concern among the population, especially in such popular tourist resorts as Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.
Local residents, dissatisfied with the rise in prices for rented housing and the congestion of transport infrastructure, urge the authorities to urgently take measures to solve problems related to mass tourism and impose temporary restrictions on the arrival of foreign tourists.
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