Tourist activity in Spain exceeded the pre-COVID level in 2022

The Spanish tourism sector closed 2022 with the full recovery of its activity after the pandemic and already accounts for 12.2% of the Spanish economy, close to the 12.6% it reached in 2019, according to the Alliance for Tourism Excellence, Exceltur, which brings together the main companies in the sector.

The contribution of tourism to the growth of the Spanish economy in 2022 is 60.8%, according to excelturwhich is confident that the tourist recovery will be consolidated this year, with 168,453 million euros, 7.1% more than before the pandemic, taking into account that 2022 closed with 159,490 million.

In addition, in 2022 tourism companies recovered pre-pandemic employment levels, closing December with 1.4% above 2019, while reducing “to record lows” the levels of temporary contracts.

National demand once again supported the recovery of tourism activity, after a significant increase in travel and tourism consumption from April, and the year closed with more overnight stays than in 2019.

Foreign tourism also experienced a strong recovery compared to 2019 and although the influx was 14.6% lower, they spent more thanks to the fact that their stays in Spain were 5.1% longer, together with the increase in prices and the preference for more tourist products. ‘premium’.

The markets that stood out the most were, for example, the Netherlands, with a rise of 13% over the pre-pandemic level in hotel overnight stays, or Mexico in long distance, with an increase of 17.6%, while the main issuers, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, close still far from 2019.

The most lagging markets were the Nordics, with a decrease of 24.9%, and Asian long distance, while the North American market recovered strongly in the second half of the year, remaining 8.5% below 2019.

Source: EFE