In recent years, the number of tourists visiting Spain and their spending have increased. Likewise, there has been evidence of a reactivation by national tourists, encouraged by the improvement in the economic situation. This trend, both in income and in spending, allows us to be optimistic for the 2016 season.
Specifically, last year 68.1 million tourists visited our country, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, which meant an increase of 4.9% over the previous year. Tourism revenues, meanwhile, increase year after year, and national tourists are also increasing their spending when traveling.
Taking this context into account, we can highlight a series of reasons that allow us to bet on an upward trend in the coming years.
In the first place, the economic recovery both in our country and in the European Union, which is the main source of tourists who visit us, the economy shows signs of recovery. This has led to an increase in consumer confidence and also in their purchasing power, with the consequent increase in consumption. The political and social situation of the Mediterranean Arc countries is also key. The unstable situation in countries like Tunisia or Egypt makes many tourists choose Spain as a tourist destination. In this sense, it is a great opportunity to gain the loyalty of tourists who come to our country for the first time.
Thirdly, the variety of offer since, in addition to being a sun and beach tourist destination, Spain is positioning itself as an alternative for mountain, cultural, gastronomic, senior citizens, etc. tourism. Added to this are the competitive prices, due to the fact that Spain’s purchasing power is lower than that of most European economies, it has become a place of reference for tourists when it comes to spending their holidays, since it has great value for money.
Another factor to take into account is the quality of the infrastructure, since the transport and accommodation network is of high quality and is envied in most parts of the world.
Finally, two factors related to the climate and lifestyle of our country. The weather in Spain is very mild in a large part of the territory due to its geographical location. There are places with more than 280 days of sunshine a year, and the fact of being able to visit the country at any time of the year and enjoy good weather is a great advantage. In addition, the diversity of climates attracts all kinds of tourists. On the other hand, the way of being of the Spanish is close and lively. Very satisfactory customer service is offered, in fact, foreign tourists value this way of being very positively. This character translates into a highly valued, high-quality customer experience.
In summary, the quality of the customer experience, together with other external factors, make Spain a very attractive destination, especially for international tourists, who, in many cases, repeat and are highly loyal.