The Rock of Gibraltar is seen in the background as people and cars cross over the Gibraltar airport runway after crossing the border between Spain and the British territory of Gibraltar on May 5, 2022. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP)
Madrid: Tourism revenue rose in Spain in the second quarter of 2026, with the country benefiting from its reputation as a safe destination as Middle East tensions persisted and an increase in spending per person, tourism industry group Exceltur said on Tuesday.
Tourism-related gross domestic product is expected to grow by 2.7 percent over the full year, after rising 3.4 percent in the second quarter as foreign arrivals increased.
Spain benefited from a reorientation of tourist flows linked to the conflict in the Middle East, as visitors were drawn by the country's reputation as a safe destination, the group said.
"We expect this effect to continue, at least this year," Exceltur's vice-president Oscar Perelli told a news conference, saying the uncertainty has "intensified again" in the wake of renewed strikes by the US and Iran.
Tourist revenues were boosted by the rise in arrivals and higher spending per visitor.
Foreign tourist spending rose 8.2 percent in the second quarter compared with the same period last year, while Spanish residents increased their domestic tourism spending by 8.3 percent.
The figures also reflected an upmarket shift in tourism, with Spaniards increasingly choosing higher-end accommodation.
Overnight stays at four- and five-star hotels rose 3.6 percent, according to Exceltur data.
The group forecast a "positive summer" for tourism businesses, with sales expected to rise 3.2 percent, although it warned the rise in energy costs due to the Middle East conflict could weigh on the outlook.
Spain, the world's second-largest tourism destination by visitor numbers, welcomed a record 96.8 million foreign visitors last year. Nearly half, 45 percent, came from Britain, France and Germany.
