There are fears that Spain could become a “victim of its own success” with the number of tourists visiting the country predicted to hit 95 million by the end of the year.
The figures, which show a significant increase on the year before, come as the country struggles to make peace with an industry it increasingly sees as “a necessary evil”.
Spain has seen a wave of anti-tourism protests sweep the country in 2024 as locals complain of significant issues caused by overtourism.
One protester in Majorca said: “From the disappearance of local culture, the increasing cost of living, the impossibility to live here, and the worsening of public services, many tourists understand this because they are aware of what it means in their home places.”
The figures show that between January and May 2024, a total of 33.2 million foreign tourists arrived in Spain, with 41 million more expected to do so between June and September.
The 74.2 million foreign tourists in the first nine months of the year is an 11.3 percent increase from 2023, up by 7.7 million.
If the trend continues into the last quarter, almost 95 million foreign tourists will have visited Spain by the end of the year.
Citing these figures, EuroWeeklyNews has claimed the country so popular with British tourists had been a “victim of its own success” with Spain seeing the surge “as a cross to bear.”
Whilst negative consequences of mass tourism might be a reality, the country is battling to balance these against the significant economic benefits of one of the nation’s most important industries.
In areas such as the Balearic islands, around 80 percent of people are employed in roles related to tourism.
However, the growth in popularity of sites such as Airbnb has contributed to an increase in house prices meaning many of the locals working in the industry are unable to afford to buy property because of it.
Other tourist destinations have introduced measures to tackle the impact of mass tourism. Venice and Amsterdam have introduced tourist taxes whilst Florence has banned new listings on Airbnb.
In 2022, Barcelona introduced a tourist levy of €3 per day with Deputy Mayor Jordi Valls telling the New York Times: “We have to come up with policies that manage the reality, which is that tourism in Barcelona has been a success, and that it could lead to our ruin.
“We have to understand that the demand is unstoppable. The only thing we can do is control the supply.”
The tax, which raised £95 million in 2023 and is forecast to raise around £115 million this year, funds local government in their attempts to offset issues brought by tourists such as increased public services at peak times.
Similar measures have also been introduced in Scotland, where local authorities now have the power to impose a tourist levy should they see fit.