Tourists spending more in Spain

FOREIGN tourists to Spain spent €3.28 billion in March, up 13.7 per cent over the same month of 2012.

On average each person spent €963,  and average spending per day of €110  represented increases of 5.4 per cent and 5.1 per cent, respectively, according to the Egatur Tourist Expenditure Survey, prepared by the Institute for Tourism Studies of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism.

The Canary Islands and Catalonia were the major sources contributing to the growth in the month, with visitors from France, the Nordic countries and Germany.

Germans came top in terms of spending in March (up 13.4 per cent), and Andalucia was the region to benefit most from this result, followed by the Balearic and Canary Islands.

Tourists from the United Kingdom spent a total of €632 million (up 2.2 per cent on March 2012), mainly in the regions of Andalucia and Catalonia. Spending per British tourist increased while their average spending per day remained stable.

The Nordic countries were third on the list, spending a total of €558 million in Spain in March (up 25.7 per cent), and the Canary Islands (the main destination for these tourists) benefited the most from this growth.

However, tourists visiting from France recorded the largest increase in tourist spending in Spain in March, with a total figure of €400 million spent, and an increase of 43.5 per cent with Catalonia the main preferred destination for these tourists.