Spain continues to occupy the second position in the world for both the number of tourists received (after France) and by volume of sales (after the US). Travel and tourism now makes up 12% of GDP according to National Statistics and is of an enormous importance to the Spanish economy.

Travel and tourism industry aided by good growth in the Spanish economy

The Spanish economy managed to grow above the EU average in the last three years of the review period, including growth of 7.8% in 2005 in current terms. The positive performance of GDP was due to the increased vigour of domestic demand in both consumption and investment. Employment growth continued, prompting a rise in disposable income and consumer confidence. These factors had a positive effect on travel and tourism by helping Spain to avoid a slowdown of the industry.

Key arrivals: German visitors return and visitor numbers from the UK/France remain strong

In 2005, the number of German visitors to Spain increased significantly for the first time in the review period. This was only the second increase in visitor numbers from Germany in six years, taking the number back almost to 2001 levels. This is due to a slight increase in confidence in the German economy coupled with a sustained effort by the Spanish to bring back German tourists. This was coupled with continuing growth of visitors from the UK and notably France

Tourist industry characterised by changing habits of new tourists

In 2005, there was a significant reduction in the "sun and beach" holidays that make up the majority of visits to Spain. This is due to the increasing sophistication and varied demands of modern tourism, the ability to get this type of holiday from cheaper locations, and a changing holiday pattern of the European tourist. The new tourists that are replacing this are the impetus behind the growth in rural and cultural tourism. The days of tourists having just one holiday per year lasting two to four weeks are changing rapidly and being replaced by more frequent short breaks that tend to be themed (city, rural, activity etc).

The modern tourist of today in Spain is not only looking for a typical package holiday at the cheapest price but rather a more holistic experience that includes all sorts of additional activities. This can be seen in the significant increases in alternative breaks such as city breaks and rural or activity breaks. These tourists are more self sufficient when booking their holidays, increasingly using the internet, comparing prices, expecting quality, taking advantage of last minute deals, and are altogether more sophisticated and demanding.

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