Spain on track to welcome 100 million foreign tourists this year, minister says

Spain is on course to receive 100 million international tourists in 2026, with visitor numbers expected to rise further during the peak summer months, supported in part by instability in the Middle East, Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu has stated.

He said Spain will probably reach (100 million) if this trend continues and it would be the natural outcome, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Spain, the world's second-most-visited country after France, welcomed a record 96.8 million foreign tourists in 2025, marking a 3.2% increase from the previous year.

The government projects that tourism will generate €64 billion ($73 billion) for the Spanish economy between June and September, a 10% increase from the same period last year. The expected rise underscores the sector's importance as a major engine of economic growth, helping Spain continue to outperform many of its European counterparts.

Officials forecast that around 43 million international travellers will visit Spain during the June-September period, up 6% from last summer. Authorities expect arrivals to keep increasing, as they did in the spring, despite geopolitical tensions linked to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Recent unrest in the Middle East has prompted some travellers to reconsider trips to the region, boosting demand for southern Mediterranean destinations, including Spain.

"Three months ago, we thought the conflict in the Middle East could slow tourist arrivals, but the data shows remarkable resilience despite the circumstances," Hereu noted.

By Oct. 1, international arrivals are expected to approach 80 million, exceeding the government's projections made in March.

While Spain's traditional beach destinations are anticipated to remain popular throughout the summer, authorities expect inland regions to post even stronger growth. The increase is expected to be driven in part by the total solar eclipse in August, which will be visible across large areas of rural and northern Spain.

Hereu pointed out that many rural accommodations have already been fully booked because of strong interest in the eclipse.

He also emphasised that encouraging visitors to explore lesser-known inland destinations could help ease overcrowding in Spain's busiest coastal resorts, where growing tourism has fueled discontent among residents. The minister urged regional governments to better manage tourism offerings, arguing that demand is likely to continue rising.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov