Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
BRITISH tourists continue to favour Spain in record numbers – but new figures show they may be turning their backs on traditional hotspots following recent anti-tourism protests.
The latest data from Spanish airport operators AENA shows an overall increase of 21% in passenger numbers in March compared with last year.
British nationals were the most frequent international visitors. They accounted for almost a quarter (16 million) of all foreign arrivals.
Airports on the mainland are growing, but the Balearic Islands & Canary Islands struggle.
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The Balearic Islands actually saw a decrease in passenger numbers for March when compared with last year. Meanwhile, the Canary Islands could only equal last year’s numbers.
This is in stark contrast to the rest of Spain where the major airports that serve the Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca have experienced robust growth.
Alicante Airport’s passenger traffic grew 18% on an annual basis in March. Malaga increased by 13%.
READ MORE British tourists heading to Spain for Easter will be in chaos: Canary Islands tourism workers strike 80,000 times, while Gatwick workers are planning a walkout.
It comes after a series of noisy protests across Spain against mass tourism and soaring house prices – especially in the islands, where resentment towards mass tourism has been particularly intense.
While the US market is booming, there are other markets around the world that are booming.
Italian tourism rose by 30% in March. This shows that Spain continues to attract new tourists as well as keep its old ones.
All in all, the figures suggest tourists aren’t falling out of love with Spain – but some are thinking twice about where they go.
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