Spanish tourists hit by rising holiday costs

Dhaka: New data shows Spanish holidaymakers are increasingly unable to afford vacations at their own country’s top coastal and city destinations. 

In 2024, visits by Spaniards to Spain’s 25 leading seaside resorts dropped by 800,000, and visits to major cities fell by 400,000. 

Meanwhile, foreign tourist numbers surged, with nearly 2 million more visitors to the coast and 3 million more to cities.

Soaring accommodation prices are to blame: hotel stays have risen 23pc in three years, averaging €136 per night, and short-term seaside rentals jumped over 20pc since last year. 

As a result, many Spaniards are choosing more affordable, lesser-known regions like Andalucia and Castile and Leon.

The Spanish government is promoting these areas to international tourists to ease pressure on popular destinations. While overtourism debates have focused on crowding, the financial strain on locals is growing.

Workers in seasonal tourism jobs earn low wages and often cannot afford local housing, forcing them to live farther away. 

This widening economic gap means many Spaniards can no longer enjoy holidays in places popular with foreign visitors.

-B