Spain’s travel and tourism sector is expected to contribute more than €269 billion ($3.2 billion) to the national economy in 2026, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), reinforcing the country’s position as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations.
The forecast, highlighted during the VI Turespaña
Convention, represents annual growth of 4.1%, up from WTTC’s previous
projection of 3.7%.
The sector is expected to outperform Spain’s overall
economic growth of 2.7%, as well as projected Travel & Tourism growth
across Europe (3.1%) and globally (2.5%).
International business travel is also forecast to
strengthen, with international business visitor spending expected to rise by
8.1% in 2026, reflecting Spain’s growing appeal to both leisure and corporate
travellers.
WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara addressed tourism
leaders at the convention, highlighting the importance of collaboration between
governments and the private sector in supporting long-term growth.
“Spain has shown that when governments and the private
sector work together behind a shared vision, Travel & Tourism can become a
powerful driver of economic growth, investment and job creation,” Guevara said.
She also praised the country’s tourism leadership under
Minister of Industry and Tourism Jordi Hereu, noting its focus on
competitiveness and sustainable growth.
Guevara thanked Madrid City Council and the Regional
Government of Madrid for supporting the establishment of WTTC’s global
headquarters in the Spanish capital.
Earlier this month, WTTC presented Hereu with its Global
Champion Award during the organisation’s 26th Global Summit in Malta.
The award recognised his efforts to strengthen Spain’s
tourism competitiveness and promote public-private collaboration.
Record Performance Strengthens Spain’s Position
The positive 2026 outlook follows a record year for the
sector. In 2025, Travel & Tourism contributed €259 billion to Spain’s
economy, equivalent to 15.3% of GDP, and supported 3.2 million jobs,
approximately one in every seven jobs nationwide.
International visitor spending reached a record €115.8billion,
the highest in Europe, while Spain welcomed 96.8 million international
visitors, making it the world’s second most visited destination.
Spain accounted for 6.5% of international visitor spending
globally and 15.6% across Europe. International visitors represented 58.7% of
total tourism spending in the country, while international leisure travel
generated €98.5 billion.
The country has also recorded Europe’s strongest tourism
recovery since the pandemic. International visitor spending in 2025 was 21%
above 2019 levels, compared with growth of 2.3% across Europe.
Tourism’s contribution to Spain’s GDP was 19.9% higher than
before the pandemic, compared with a 6.5% increase across Europe.
These figures underline the sector’s economic significance
and the role of investment, connectivity and cooperation between public and
private stakeholders in supporting its recovery.
WTTC Sets Out Priorities for Sustainable Growth
Looking ahead, WTTC has identified four key areas for
Spain’s continued tourism competitiveness: sustainability, responsible
destination management, innovation and talent development.
The organisation emphasised the need to balance tourism’s
economic contribution with its social and environmental impacts. It also called
for more effective destination management through diversification, reduced
seasonality, better visitor distribution and continued attention to residents’
wellbeing.
Digitalisation and the adoption of artificial intelligence
are additional priorities, alongside investment in workforce skills and
training, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises.
At the European and global levels, Guevara highlighted eight
strategic priorities identified by WTTC and its members: seamless and secure
travel, investment, connectivity, talent and workforce development, sustainable
tourism, destination stewardship, AI adoption and source-market
diversification.
WTTC said advancing these priorities will be essential to
maintaining competitiveness and supporting long-term growth as the global
tourism industry evolves.
With its economic contribution forecast to exceed €269 billion in 2026, Spain enters the coming year with strong growth prospects, supported by record visitor spending, sustained international demand and a continued focus on responsible tourism development. -TradeArabia News Service