Spain-on-sea: Brits are officially number one holidaymakers as 11.5 million visit Spain

Britain is still the biggest force behind Spain’s international tourism industry, with more than 11.5 million British visitors arriving during the first seven months of 2026.

New figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) show that the UK was comfortably Spain’s largest overseas tourism market between January and July, leaving the French and Germans well behind.

Spain welcomed more than 58.1 million international tourists during the period, up 4.6 per cent on the same time last year. British arrivals also increased by 4.6 per cent, reaching more than 11 and a half million. France supplied just over 7.2 million visitors, while Germany accounted for almost 6.9 million. German arrivals actually fell by 0.5 per cent during the period.

Britain still Spain’s biggest tourism market

July provided another strong showing for British tourism, with almost 2.2 million UK residents visiting Spain. British arrivals rose by 5.6 per cent compared with July 2025, reaching over two million. France followed with 1.86 million visitors, while Germany recorded 1.21 million.

Spain received 11.54 million international tourists in July alone, an annual increase of 4.6 per cent.
Those numbers are important because Britain’s contribution goes well beyond the number of people passing through Spanish airports. British visitors are also responsible for a huge share of accommodation demand.

Hotel figures from the INE show that UK travellers accounted for 25.8 per cent of all overnight stays by non-residents in Spanish hotels during July. Germany was a distant second with 14.5 per cent.

Brits fill Spanish hotels and holiday apartments

Holiday apartments tell a similar story. British travellers accounted for 30.1 per cent of all overnight stays by non-residents in Spanish tourist apartments during July, making the UK the biggest foreign market in that sector too.

Spain’s hotel industry recorded more than 44.8 million overnight stays during July, with stays by international visitors rising by 1.1 per cent year-on-year. Hotel occupancy reached 71.1 per cent of available places, while the average price per occupied room climbed to €156.90.

Those figures help explain why the British market remains so important to hotels, apartment owners, restaurants, bars, attractions and other businesses that depend on international visitors.

Spain’s cash register: are holidaymakers really spending less? No

Visitor numbers are only part of the story, and a common grumble is that holidaymakers are spending less these days. Not so. International tourists spent a whopping €18 billion in Spain during July, according to the INE’s latest expenditure figures. That was up 10.9 per cent more than in July 2025. Average spending per visitor reached €1,579, up 5.9 per cent, while average daily spending climbed 3.7 per cent to €218.

Accommodation was the biggest individual category, taking 19.8 per cent of international tourist spending. Package holidays accounted for another 19.3 per cent, while international transport outside package holidays represented 19.2 per cent.

Spain’s tourism economy therefore enters the second half of 2026 with British visitors still very much at its heart.

Why the Brits love Spain so much

Spain’s relationship with British tourism is hardly new, but the latest figures show that the connection is not only strong, but growing. Turespaña reported earlier this year that more than 19 million UK visitors travelled to Spain in 2025, while its latest market study continues to describe Britain as Spain’s leading international source market. Demand from the Brits also goes far beyond the traditional summer beach holiday. More and more holidaymakers are travelling during spring and autumn, helping spread tourism demand beyond the busiest July and August period.

For Spain’s tourism industry, that is excellent news. A market that supplies millions of visitors, fills a quarter of foreign hotel nights and accounts for almost a third of non-resident apartment stays remains a powerful economic engine.

For British holidaymakers, meanwhile, the figures suggest that the familiar route to Spain is showing little sign of losing its appeal. More than 11.5 million arrivals in seven months tell their own story: when it comes to foreign tourism in Spain, Britain is still number one.