Spending on shopping by tourists in Spain soars by 164%
24 July, 2024Shopping tourism has seen a strong boost in Spain over the last year. Spending by non-EU visitors has increased by 164% between June 2023 and May 2024, according to the results of the report "The Elite Tourist" prepared by Global Blue, an international tax free operator, for Círculo Fortuny, the Spanish association of the high-end sector.
Spain thus ranks third among European destinations, behind France and Italy and ahead of Germany, which ranked third in the last edition of the study. In the last year, non-EU tourists spent €2.5 billion in Spain on shopping, 40% more than in 2019, with a share in this segment of 16%, according to Global Blue.
The report highlights that Madrid is the second city in Europe that has recovered the most spending compared to the data prior to the Covid pandemic, 163% more. The opening of new five-star hotels and the rise of business schools are some of the elements that have boosted the growth of the Spanish capital. Barcelona, in turn, recorded an increase of 116%.