Spain sees tourism back to prepandemic levels in 2022 after solid Sept data

[November 03, 2021]  MADRID (Reuters) - International travel to Spain is recovering fast and could allow the tourism-dependent nation to reach pre-pandemic foreign visitor levels by 2022, the government said on Wednesday after data showed a sharp rise in September arrivals.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Spain more than quadrupled in September from a year ago to nearly 4.7 million, data from the National Statistics Office showed, as widespread vaccination and looser travel restrictions enticed back more visitors.

"These data confirm a reactivation of international tourism is underway and that in 2022 we could recover pre-pandemic levels," Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said in a statement.

Maroto cited Spain's natural tourist attractions and its high level of vaccination - around 80% of the population - as driving forces behind the recovery.
 

She had said in the past foreign tourism would be half pre-pandemic level in 2021 up from less than 20% in 2020.

Unlike Italy and France, Spain does not require proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter restaurants or bars, meaning unvaccinated visitors can enjoy their holiday without taking tests every few days.

A tourist jumps into the sea on the Amadores beach, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the south of the island of Gran Canaria, Spain, August 3, 2021. REUTERS/Borja Suarez/File Photo

Nevertheless, total arrivals were still far below the 8.8 million who came to Spain in September of 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Tourists spent a total of 5.04 billion euros ($5.84 billion)in the country, soaring from the 964 million euros of the previous year but a long way off the 9.62 billion euros spent in September 2020.

Germans made up the largest group of foreign travellers, followed by Britons and French people, the data showed.

($1 = 0.8638 euros)

(Reporting by Nathan Allen, editing by Inti Landauro and Angus MacSwan)

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