
international TOURISTS in ANDALUCIA
by Chris Chaplow
Foreign Tourists or International Tourism
In 2010 Andalucía received 7.4 million international tourists (ie country of residence not Spain) which was about the same as 2009. (actually 0,4% down) this was down from the 2007 peak of 8.4 million and down from the last ten year average of 7.8 million. This would place Andalucia (if a country) about 25th in a world league of foreign tourist arrivals.
So far In 2011 (Jan-Nov) Andalucia received 7.5m international tourists which was 2% up on a 10yr average, and 6% up on 2010 thanks to a very strong April to June.
The total international tourist spend in 2010 was 5% up on 2009 reaching 7,820 million euro with an average holiday spend per tourist of 1,052 euro and with an average stay of 11.7 nights this is an average daily spend of 89,7 euro.
This holiday spending is broken down into 19.7 % on transport, 26.3 % on accommodation, 15.3% in a package holiday, 16.4% in restaurants or food and 22.3 % in excursions.
Those staying in hotels averaged 7.8 nights whilst those not in hotels averaged 15.8 nights. The principal arrival was via an airport at 79.8% and by road 8,2%.
A minority of foreign tourists now arrive as part of a package holiday as 79.8% travel independently in 2010.
There is still a high season as 2,7million or 36% arrive in July, August or September.
Main reason for coming to Andalucia according to a survey are:
- Climate 26%
- Beach 15%
- Cultural 17%
- Monuments 11%
- Visit Family 8%
- Price 5%
- Nature 5%
- Golf 3%
- Ski 1%
- Other reasons 10%
international TOURISTS in ANDALUCIA - BY YEAR
In the table and the graph below we see the increase in international ( ie non Spanish) tourist arrivals in Andalucia from the year 2000 to 2007 and then the fall to 2010. Advance figures suggest that 2011 will be about 5% up on 2011 or about 7,800,000
Year |
Number |
2000 |
6,991,973 |
2001 |
7,591,511 |
2002 |
7,686,167 |
2003 |
7,908,400 |
2004 |
7,943,253 |
2005 |
8,351,628 |
2006 |
7,975,629 |
2007 |
8,429,556 |
2008 |
7,975,202 |
2009 |
7,465,415 |
2010 |
7,437,435 |
2011 |
7,900,000 (our estimate) |

Source: Instituto de Estudios Turísticos (IET). Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio.
international TOURISTS in ANDALUCIA - by MONTH
In the table and below we see number of foreign (non Spanish) tourist arrivals to Andalucia by month for 2011 and 2010 and the average over the last 10 years. We also show the increase or decrease for 2011 over the ten year average. April 2011 was a very strong month partly due to Easter falling in late April. This trend continues in June with more international tourists than any previous June
Month |
2011 |
% var 10yr |
10yr Average |
2010 |
Jan |
338.371 |
- 6,3 |
361.144 |
349.015 |
Feb |
356.338 |
- 9,8 |
405.161 |
373.152 |
Mar |
530.222 |
- 2,7 |
544.857 |
522.365 |
Apr |
755.944 |
9,7 |
689.415 |
596.346 |
May |
781.191 |
5,0 |
744.666 |
789.874 |
Jun |
805.347 |
8,5 |
742.229 |
728.513 |
Jul |
984.677 |
3,1 |
954.624 |
930.876 |
Aug |
1.089.186 |
2,2 |
1.066.049 |
1.043.756 |
Sep |
822.067 |
1.2 |
812.673 |
736.597 |
Oct |
744.948 |
7.0 |
696.092 |
678.813 |
Nov |
341.544 |
- 13.7 |
395.685 |
383.931 |
Dec |
|
|
387.353 |
313.195 |
Source: Instituto de Estudios Turísticos (IET). Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio.
A chart of the foreign tourists to Andalucia from 2000 to 2011 by month can be downloaded here.
Source data can be found here from the website of the Instituto de Estudios Turísticos (IET). Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio.
international TOURISTS in ANDALUCIA - Type of accommodation
In the table and below we present the type of accommodation chosen by the international tourists to Andalucia in 2010 and the variation on 2009.
Accommodation Type |
Numbers 2010 |
Variation 2009 |
Hotels etc |
3,777,000 |
+10.4% |
Own home |
837,000 |
-15.8% |
Family or friends home |
1,412,000 |
-1.0% |
Rental Accommodation |
795,000 |
-21.7% |
Other |
597,000 |
-77.9% |
Non specified |
20,000 |
+0,3% |
Total |
7.437 |
-0,4% |
Source: IET. Movimientos Turísticos en Fronteras (Frontur).

international TOURISTS in ANDALUCIA - Spend and stay
In the table below for the years 2004 to 2010 we present the average length of stay of the international tourist in Andalucia, his/her average spend per day and per holiday. the final column is the total monetry value to Andalucia of the international tourist. These are actual numbers and do not make any allowance for for inflation.
Year |
Average stay |
Average Spend per Day - euro |
Average spend
per holiday - euro |
Total value m euro |
2004 |
11 |
84 |
942 |
6,813 |
2005 |
11 |
83 |
924 |
6,775 |
2006 |
11 |
82 |
947 |
7,082 |
2007 |
12 |
82 |
965 |
8,134 |
2008 |
12 |
84 |
986 |
7,863 |
2009 |
12 |
82 |
993 |
7,416 |
2010 |
12 |
90 |
1052 |
7,820 |
In the table below for the months throughout 2011 and 2010 we present the monetry value to Andalucia of the international tourist in millions of euro. We also record the average for 2004 to 2010 and the percentage variation of 2011 against this seven year average. These are actual numbers and do not make any allowance for for inflation.
|
2011
m euro |
% variation on
2004-2010 Average |
2010
m euro |
Average
(2004-2010) |
Jan |
364 |
7,0 % |
363 |
341 |
Feb |
398 |
10,1 % |
402 |
361 |
Mar |
568 |
9,7 % |
611 |
578 |
Apr |
792 |
31,2 % |
562 |
604 |
May |
790 |
13,4 % |
905 |
697 |
Jun |
865 |
18,5 % |
773 |
730 |
Jul |
950 |
4,8 % |
900 |
907 |
Aug |
1099 |
13,8 % |
1.111 |
966 |
Sep |
790 |
-1,9 % |
772 |
805 |
Oct |
711 |
4,2 % |
636 |
682 |
Nov |
|
|
417 |
405 |
Dec |
|
|
378 |
401 |
Total |
|
|
7,820 |
7.412 |
Source: IET - EGATUR.
Chart of the monthly foreign tourist spend in Andalucia from 2004 can be downloaded here.
international TOURISTS in ANDALUCIA - by country
In the table below, for 2010, we show the international tourists in Andalucia by their country or region of residence.
|
Country |
Numbers 2010 |
Variation 2009 |
UK |
2,280,000 |
-12.2 % |
France |
897,000 |
+10.7 % |
Germany |
859,000 |
- 6.9 % |
Scandanavia |
547,000 |
+15.3 % |
Ireland |
334,000 |
-17.6 % |
Rest of EU |
1,813,000 |
+10.8 % |
Rest of World |
707,000 |
+14.9 % |
Total |
7,437,000 |
- 0,4 % |
Source: Instituto de Estudios Turísticos (IET). Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio
international TOURISTS in ANDALUCIA - by countrY & spend
In the table below for 2010 we show the international tourists in Andalucia by their country or region of residence and their different average holiday spend in euro with variation on 2009. This spend is also presented on a per day basis
Country |
Holiday spend & variation on 2009 |
Spend per day &
variation on 2009 |
Scandanavia |
1,051 euro + 5.9 % |
89.7 euro + 9.9 % |
Germany |
1,191euro + 4.4 % |
92.4 euro + 8.5 % |
Italy |
936 euro - 7.2 % |
86.3 euro - 4.4 % |
UK |
892 euro + 7.0 % |
83.7 euro + 14.5 % |
France |
793 euro - 0.2 % |
86 euro + 3.9 % |
Source: Instituto de Estudios Turísticos (IET). Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio
SPANISH TOURISTS OR NATIONAL TOURISM IN ANDALUCIA
In 2009 the Spanish made 171 million tourist trips of which 158 million were to destinations within Spain and 13 million to other countries.
In 2009 we record that 81% of the Andalucian tourists (i.e. tourists resident in Andalucia) travelled to a destination within the Andalucia Region and 19% to another region of Spain. This suggests that about 4m tourist trips were made to other regions of Spain.
The table below shows how national tourism in Andalucia is made up from Spanish tourists (i.e. tourists resident in Spain but not the Andalucia region) plus Andalucian tourists (i.e. tourists resident in Andalucia). Observant readers will notice that the numbers of Andalucia tourists is more than twice the Andalucia population, this is posible because on average each Andalucian makes several tourism trips a year.
Year |
Spanish tourists from outside Andalucia |
Andalucian tourists within Andalucia |
Total of all national tourists |
2010 |
|
|
26,529.980 |
2009 |
|
|
29.254.836 |
2008 |
8.714.000 |
19,743.000 |
28.456.420 |
2007 |
7.982.000 |
19.874.000 |
27.855.906 |
2006 |
7.990.000 |
19.603.000 |
27.593.515 |
2005 |
7.707.000 |
19.866.000 |
27.573.453 |
In 2008 the average stay in Andalucia for a national tourist was 5 nights and the average spend was 59€.
top of page
|