Spaniards are traveling less within their own country, but their appetite for international adventures is on the rise.
New data from Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) reveals a subtle but intriguing shift—while domestic trips dipped by 2.2% between July and September, travel abroad surged by 15.5%.
It’s not just the destination that’s changing; how and why people travel is evolving, too. Leisure trips, once the driving force behind domestic tourism, fell by 2%, while visits to friends and family rose by 3.8%.
Business travel, often a steady contributor to domestic movement, dropped by 3.2%. Despite fewer overall trips, one thing stands out—Spaniards are spending more.
During the third quarter, total travel spending hit €24.54 billion, marking a 4.2% increase from the same period in 2023. The real spike came from international trips, where spending jumped by 14.2%, compared to a slight 0.3% decline in domestic travel expenses. On average, travelers spent €53 per day when vacationing in Spain but nearly doubled that to €98 when heading abroad.
Accommodation remains the biggest expense, accounting for 29.6% of the total travel budget, with spending in this category rising slightly by 0.8%. For trips outside Spain, transportation takes the lead, making up 26.4% of total costs—an area that saw a significant 17.1% increase.
Interestingly, not all parts of Spain experienced the same decline. The Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and Madrid stood out for having the highest average daily expenses, with travelers spending €92, €87, and €78 respectively. In contrast, regions like Castile and Leon, Castile-La Mancha, and Murcia reported much lower daily spending, hovering around €36 to €40.
Madrid residents led the charge in overall travel, representing 19.6% of total trips, followed by Catalonia and Andalusia. Even when accounting for population size, Madrid stood out, with 1,647 trips per 1,000 inhabitants—more than any other region. The Basque Country and La Rioja closely followed, proving that some regions are more eager to travel than others.
As August rolled in, Spaniards packed their bags for their traditional summer break. The highest number of trips recorded that month was 24.9 million. The quarter also saw the longest average trip duration, at 7.9 overnight stays, highlighting that even with fewer overall trips, Spaniards are making the most of their holidays.
The shift toward international travel raises questions—are rising domestic prices or the allure of new experiences abroad behind this change? Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: while Spaniards may be scaling back on local getaways, their desire to explore new horizons is stronger than ever.
