Foreign tourist visits to Spain hit record high in 2025: minister

MADRID, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- A total of 97 million foreign tourists visited Spain in 2025, setting a new all-time record for international visitors to the country, Spanish Minister of Industry and Tourism Jordi Hereu announced on Thursday.

The record number of visitors also spent more than ever, contributing 135 billion euros (156 billion U.S. dollars) to the economy.

The data represent a 3.5 percent increase in visitor numbers from 2024 and a 6.8 percent increase in revenue.

"We are growing with qualitative elements that we believe are desirable for triple sustainability: social, economic, and environmental," Hereu said at a press conference.

The minister also noted that early expectations indicate visitor growth will continue in 2026, with 26 million tourists expected in the first four months of the year, up 3.7 percent from the same period in 2025.

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