Álvaro Merino
100 million tourists: The country that sold its summer
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Álvaro Merino
100 million tourists: The country that sold its summer
Recently, Álvaro Merino, Content Analyst at El Orden Mundial (EOM), published an article examining the current state of tourism in Spain, a country that continues to consolidate its position as one of the world’s leading tourism powers and is on track to surpass the milestone of 100 million international tourists in 2026. This figure reflects Spain’s extraordinary ability to attract visitors and the strength of an industry that has been one of the fundamental pillars of the Spanish economy for decades. However, the article argues that this quantitative success also calls for a broader reflection on its consequences and on the need to rethink the country’s tourism growth model in order to ensure its long-term sustainability.
According to the analysis, Spain has managed to maintain a privileged position in the international tourism market thanks to a combination of factors that few competing destinations can easily replicate. Its climate, diverse landscapes, rich historical and cultural heritage, renowned gastronomy, extensive hotel infrastructure and strong connectivity through airports and transport networks have enabled the country to attract millions of visitors from around the world every year. This is further reinforced by Spain’s reputation for safety and stability, two factors that also play an important role in international travellers’ choice of destination.
Tourism has become an increasingly significant component of Spain’s national economy. Its contribution to gross domestic product and employment makes it one of the country’s most important economic activities. Beyond directly benefiting hotels, restaurants, transport companies and travel agencies, the constant influx of visitors generates economic activity across a wide range of related sectors, including retail, culture, leisure and various services. This ability to stimulate economic activity helps explain why tourism has played such a prominent role both during periods of economic expansion and in the recovery that followed the pandemic.
However, the article warns that the continued growth in visitor numbers has also exposed significant imbalances. One of the main challenges is the high concentration of tourists in particular destinations and at specific times of the year. Cities, islands and coastal municipalities experience levels of pressure that can exceed their capacity to accommodate visitors comfortably, resulting in overcrowded public spaces, beaches, monuments, infrastructure and services. This situation affects not only the experience of tourists themselves, but also the quality of life of permanent residents in these destinations.
Housing is among the most prominent concerns highlighted in the article. The expansion of properties used for short-term tourist rentals has reduced the availability of housing for residential use in some cities and coastal areas, contributing to rising property prices and rents. This trend particularly affects young people and lower-income families, who face growing difficulties in finding affordable housing in the places where they live or work. The article notes that this phenomenon has fuelled an intense political and social debate over the regulation of tourist accommodation and the need to strike an appropriate balance between economic activity and the right to housing.
Another issue examined in the article is the transformation taking place in certain neighbourhoods and historic city centres as a result of the rapid growth of tourism. The expansion of businesses catering almost exclusively to visitors is gradually reshaping the local commercial landscape and changing traditional patterns of urban space use. Neighbourhood shops, small independent businesses and services aimed primarily at local residents may be replaced by souvenir shops, restaurants and other establishments designed to meet tourist demand. This process has raised concerns among many residents, who perceive an erosion of local identity and a profound transformation of everyday life in their cities.
The article also examines the employment dimension of the tourism industry. Although tourism creates millions of jobs and represents an essential source of income for countless families, some forms of employment within the sector have characteristics that continue to generate debate. Seasonality, temporary employment and relatively low wages remain significant challenges across a range of tourism-related activities. The article also points out that a substantial proportion of these jobs depend on migrant workers, whose contribution is essential in meeting the exceptionally high demand experienced during peak tourist seasons.
Despite these limitations, tourism remains a powerful engine of economic growth that would be difficult to replace. The sector’s ability to generate wealth, attract investment and sustain economic activity helps explain why public authorities continue to pursue promotional policies aimed at preserving Spain’s international competitiveness as a tourist destination. However, the article stresses that this strategy can come into conflict with other measures designed to curb overcrowding in certain destinations or to protect access to housing and residents’ quality of life.
Tourism management has therefore emerged as one of the major challenges facing public authorities. Spain operates under a decentralised model in which autonomous communities and local councils have extensive powers to regulate numerous aspects of tourism activity. As a result, policy responses vary considerably from one region to another. While some destinations have introduced restrictions on short-term tourist accommodation or placed limits on certain activities in an effort to reduce pressure on local communities and the surrounding environment, others continue to pursue strategies aimed at attracting greater numbers of visitors as a means of promoting economic development.
The article highlights how this context has contributed to a growing public debate over the limits of mass tourism. Citizen-led protests have emerged in various cities and regions, drawing attention to the effects of overtourism and tourism-driven transformation on housing, mobility, the environment and community life. These movements do not necessarily challenge the economic importance of tourism itself. Rather, they are calling for a model capable of reconciling the arrival of visitors with the well-being and quality of life of those who live permanently in these destinations.
The tourism industry itself also acknowledges the need to evolve. The article notes that the idea of prioritising quality over quantity is gaining increasing prominence, with greater emphasis being placed on attracting visitors who stay longer, spend more and distribute their expenditure more evenly across different regions and throughout the year. This approach seeks to reduce the sector’s dependence on the continuous growth of tourist numbers while encouraging a more balanced and sustainable model of development.
The analysis also highlights the importance of diversifying economic activity in order to avoid excessive dependence on tourism. The pandemic exposed the vulnerability of an economic model heavily reliant on international mobility, as travel restrictions triggered a sharp decline in both revenue and employment. Although the subsequent recovery has been remarkably strong, that experience reinforced the view that Spain should continue developing other sectors capable of complementing tourism’s substantial contribution to the national economy.
Overall, the article presents a balanced assessment of tourism in Spain. It acknowledges that the country has established itself as a global tourism leader thanks to a broad range of competitive advantages and that the industry will continue to play an essential role in the years ahead. At the same time, it warns that record-breaking visitor numbers are not, in themselves, a sufficient indicator by which to measure the success of the country’s tourism model. The fundamental question is how to manage this growth in such a way that its economic benefits are not accompanied by social, urban and environmental costs that become increasingly difficult to sustain.
In conclusion, the article argues that Spain is approaching a decisive moment. The prospect of surpassing 100 million international tourists symbolises both the country’s extraordinary appeal as a destination and the growing need to address the challenges arising from that success. Striking the right balance between economic growth, environmental and territorial protection, access to housing, employment quality and the well-being of local residents is emerging as the principal challenge for the years ahead. The future of Spanish tourism will depend, to a considerable extent, on the country’s ability to develop solutions that preserve its international competitiveness without compromising the sustainability of its destinations or the quality of life of the people who call them home.
Author: Álvaro Merino
Content Analyst at El Orden Mundial (EOM)
The authors are responsible for the choice and presentation of the facts contained in this document and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of Tourism and Society Think Tank and do not commit the Organization, and should not be attributed to TSTT or its members.
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