British tourists continue to flock to Spain despite the growing frustration at overtourism expressed by locals.
Figures published on June 3 by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) showed the sun-kissed country welcomed 24 million visitors between January and April this year – a 14.5 percent spike when comparing numbers from the same period in 2023.
In April alone, Spain received 7.8 million tourists, up 8.3 percent from the same month last year.
These figures confirmed Britons as the biggest fans of Spain, with the UK remaining the largest market for the country’s tourism industry.
During the first four months of this year, marred with anti-overtourism demonstrations across the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and other holiday hotspots, 4.43 million Brits headed to Spain – marking nearly a 13 percent rise.
German tourists, known to be particularly fond of the Canaries, also continued to flock to Spain, marking 3.18 million arrivals – up 16.9 percent from last year.
France followed with 3.14 million tourists reaching Spain’s shore, an increase of 13.8 percent when compared to the same months in 2023.
The Canary Islands, where protests against overtourism reached fever-pitch in April and pushed tens of thousands to take their frustration to the streets, welcomed the most tourists during the first four months of the year – 5.5 million, an increase of 11.4 percent when compared to 2023.
In the Canaries, as in the Balearics and in the southernmost region of Andalusia, many locals have complained that the huge demand for accommodation created by tourism has worsened the housing crisis.
Many locals have complained of not being able to afford rent despite having a job and having moved into caravans.
Others have accused some landlords of pushing out their long-term tenants when the tourist season comes to earn more with short-term lets.
Recent protests across these areas have seen Spaniards asking for the tourism market to be better regulated.