Spain set a new tourism record in 2025 when it welcomed 96.8 million foreign visitors, according to figures released by the National Statistics Institute. The number of international visitors increased 3.2% compared to 2024, when there were 94 million tourists.
Overall, the Iberian nation ranks third on the U.N. World Tourism Barometer’s list of the world’s top tourism earners, after the United Kingdom and France.
The income from foreign visitors rose 6.8% to 134.7 billion euros ($158.9 billion) last year, compared with 126 billion euros in 2024, the Ministry of Tourism said.
The increase in the number of tourists and their spending meet the objective of transforming “the tourism model into one that is more sustainable and based on prioritizing quality over quantity,” the ministry said in a statement.
Catalonia, the northeastern region where Barcelona is located, attracted around 20.1 million tourists, 0.6% more than in 2024. It was followed by the Mediterranean islands and the Canary Islands, a flagship of the sun and beach tourism for which Spain is known.
Most travellers came from the U.K. (19 million), France (12.7 million) and Germany (12 million).
It was Spain’s third record-breaking year since 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic that paralyzed international leisure travel.
Last year set a new record for international tourist arrivals in the post-pandemic era: an estimated 1.52 billion international tourists were recorded worldwide, an increase of almost 60 million than in 2024, according to the U.N. barometer.
Canadian podcast
Meanwhile, the Tourist Office of Spain in Toronto has launched “Finding Spain From Canada,” a new podcast series aimed at inspiring Canadians to discover the beauty of Spain. The first episode is already available on Spotify, with additional episodes set to release every eight weeks through 2026.
Created with an authentic Canadian perspective in mind, each episode will see Canadian journalists and travel professionals share their own personal journeys across Spain, recounting the vibrant culture, delicious gastronomy, and hidden gems that exist beyond the big cities.
From interior cities like León or Seville to islands like Gran Canaria or Tenerife, no region of Spain will go unexplored. The first episode features a spotlight on Castilla y Léon, a gem of Renaissance and Baroque glory, led by Canadian travel journalist Doug Wallace.
As Spain intensifies its efforts to invite travellers to experience its lesser-known regions, Canadians should keep an eye out for further initiatives later in the year, says the tourist office.
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