Spain, a showcase for global shopping

Spain, a showcase for global shopping

25-10-25

Spain is consolidating its position as one of the great hubs of shopping tourism, attracting 2.8 million non-EU shoppers over the past year and processing 9 million Tax Free transactions—a volume that reflects both the destination’s strength and the maturity of its retail, logistics, and refund ecosystem. These figures arrive in a context of sustained recovery in international travel and a public–private drive to raise average spend, smooth out seasonality, and turn the shopping experience into a travel motive in its own right. The data places Spain on the radar of luxury brands and major premium outlet operators, while cementing cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, and Málaga as European gateways for travelers from the Americas, the Middle East, and Asia.

Spain’s strategy rests on several levers. First, the minimum spend to request a VAT refund was eliminated in 2018, simplifying the process and boosting competitiveness versus other EU destinations. Second, promotion campaigns have intensified in key markets—such as the United Kingdom—aimed at increasing average spend and positioning duty-free shopping as a distinctive attribute of travel to Spain. Added to this is investment by Tax Free operators and the luxury retail sector in customer experience (digitized refunds, paperless validation, multilingual staff, VIP lounges), measures that reduce friction and elevate visitor satisfaction. The result is a more seamless shopping journey in which travelers find iconic brands, up-to-date assortments, and premium services from storefront to airport.

Madrid, already leading in international spending capture, has overtaken Barcelona as the nerve center of shopping tourism, concentrating nearly half of total spend and benefitting from the surge of Latin American and U.S. markets. The capital has combined a powerful lineup of urban flagships with luxury “village” destinations that are breaking visitor and sales records—magnets for high-net-worth profiles. This momentum is fed by expanding air connections, an upgraded five-star hotel stock, and a vibrant cultural calendar that lengthens stays and multiplies purchase occasions. Barcelona, for its part, maintains notable weight and looks to an additional rebound as the Chinese source market normalizes and high-spending Asian travelers return. In parallel, other destinations such as Valencia, Seville, Marbella–Costa del Sol, and Bilbao are intensifying their propositions by blending gastronomy, heritage, and curated shopping.

The profile of international shoppers choosing Spain is increasingly sophisticated: they combine personal luxury (fashion, leather goods, watches) with high-value experiences—from Michelin-starred restaurants to private visits and exclusive events—and demand fast refund processes, reliable after-sales service, and multichannel attention. Sector analyses indicate that in 2024 luxury accounted for around 80% of global Tax Free sales, with year-on-year growth close to 30%; a trend that aligns with what is happening on Spain’s main shopping streets and is reinforced by surging shoppers from Mexico, Argentina, the United States, and Gulf countries. Already third in Europe by refund volume—after France and Italy—Spain heads into 2025 expecting to surpass 100 million tourists and convert a greater share of those arrivals into high-value purchases.

The immediate challenge is to sustain the pace without sacrificing quality. To that end, the sector is working to improve the capillarity of the offer—bringing attractive shopping experiences to more neighborhoods and cities—strengthen long-haul air connectivity, and support retail with specialized talent in clienteling, languages, and Tax Free protocols. Digitalization is also accelerating: secure traveler identification, international payment methods, and automated customs procedures, all under sustainability criteria that minimize waste and emissions tied to retail activity. Ultimately, the success of Spain’s shopping tourism will be measured not only in transactions or average tickets, but in its ability to foster loyalty among visitors who return, recommend, and make shopping an essential part of their travel story. With 2.8 million shoppers and 9 million transactions as its starting point, Spain now enters a new phase to cement itself as a global showcase where fashion, design, and hospitality speak the same language: that of a memorable, frictionless experience.

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