The Valencian Community spent 166.5 million euros treating tourists who fell ill or were injured while on holiday in 2024, according to the latest official figures from the Regional Ministry of Health.
Nearly one million tourists, 952,196 in total, required medical attention during the year. The figures come from the region’s 2024 Management Report, as the 2025 report will not be published until January.
Domestic tourism accounted for three out of every four euros spent, totalling 122.9 million euros. The remaining 43.6 million euros went towards treating patients using the European Health Insurance Card.
Of the total medical episodes recorded, 81.94%, or 780,285 cases, involved temporary visitors from other Spanish regions. The remaining 18.06%, or 171,911 cases, involved visitors from other European countries.
“These figures place the Valencian Community at the forefront of regional health systems in terms of billing for primary care to people displaced between communities,” the Ministry said in the report.
The overall healthcare bill rose by 10% in a single year. In 2023, costs reached 150 million euros, 16.5 million euros less than in 2024, across 939,031 consultations, just 1.4% more than the previous year. The near identical number of consultations alongside a sharp cost increase suggests updated procedure pricing or a rise in more complex, costlier cases.
Patients from other Spanish regions and EU countries can access care free of charge under agreements between the Valencian Regional Government, the central Spanish government and the European Union. The treatment is free for the patient but not for the administration footing the bill, in this case the Valencian Regional Government.
The situation differs for non-EU tourists, who must pay for their own medical treatment. In 2024, 27,073 non-EU tourists were treated, paying a combined 8.6 million euros for their care.
Sources within the Valencian regional government say they have repeatedly requested 1.04 billion euros owed for healthcare services provided to tourists from the Healthcare Guarantee Fund and the Healthcare Cohesion Fund, both under the jurisdiction of the Spanish government. That sum represents 11% of the Health Ministry’s annual budget, based on 2026 figures.
Officials point out that the 166.5 million euros spent in 2024 could instead have covered the cost of implementing a 35-hour working week across the health service, or funded the first two phases of the expansion of the University Clinical Hospital of Valencia. That expansion, which cost 154 million euros, has already funded a new outpatient building and a new inpatient ward with 168 rooms. The ward is nearing completion and is due to open in November, regional health minister Marciano Gómez said during a visit to the construction site this week.
Government sources describe regional funding as the “main grievance,” arguing it leaves the Valencian Community among the worst funded regions in Spain.
Most consultations involving tourists take place in primary care, which accounted for 579,561 procedures, or 60% of the total, but only 29.4% of spending, equivalent to 49.1 million euros. Specialised care, including hospitalisations and emergency treatment, accounted for 70.1% of spending, a bill of 73.7 million euros across 200,742 episodes. A family doctor consultation costs 63 euros under the region’s fee schedule, compared with 240 euros simply to enter an emergency department, or 341 euros for an overnight hospital stay.
The regional health service’s summer plan, backed by 85 million euros, has created 9,000 contracts to open 25 auxiliary clinics and reinforce 74 health centres in tourist areas. The plan will not, however, prevent the closure of 600 hospital beds in August, along with operating theatres at several centres.
Among domestic visitors treated in primary care, residents of Madrid made up the largest group, with 175,313 cases in 2025, three in 10 of the total, costing 8.09 million euros. They were followed by visitors from Castilla-La Mancha (72,314 cases, 3.3 million euros), Catalonia (53,556 cases, 2.5 million euros) and Andalusia (48,565 cases, 2.2 million euros).
Among international visitors, French tourists were the most frequent patients, with 36,237 cases, 21.1% of the total, spending 7.9 million euros, nearly matching the total spent by visitors from Madrid despite being outnumbered five to one. British tourists followed, with 23,647 cases and a bill of 7.6 million euros, and German tourists were third, with 22,677 cases costing 5.8 million euros.
Photo Credit: saiko3p / Shutterstock.com
