Spain welcomed more foreign visitors in the first half of 2025 than in any comparable period on record, according to data released by the national statistics office. The figure — 47.3 million arrivals between January and June — represents a 14% increase over the same period last year and has been greeted with cautious optimism by the tourism ministry.
But in the narrow streets of Palma, the beachside promenades of Málaga, and the historic quarters of Seville, the mood among small business owners is considerably more complicated. Many report that while footfall has risen, margins have not followed. Rising rents, staff shortages, and the growing dominance of large hotel chains have squeezed independent operators.
The Saturation Problem
"We have more visitors than ever and less money than three years ago," said one restaurant owner in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, who asked not to be named. His rent has increased by 40% since 2022, driven by the conversion of neighbouring properties into tourist apartments. He employs four people, down from seven before the pandemic.
Municipal governments in several coastal cities have introduced or are considering caps on tourist accommodation licences. Barcelona has announced it will not renew any short-term rental licences when they expire, a decision that has drawn legal challenges from platform operators.
A National Conversation
The tourism ministry has acknowledged the tension but stopped short of endorsing restrictive measures at the national level. A spokesperson said the government was committed to "sustainable tourism development" — a phrase that has become something of a placeholder in policy discussions, meaning different things to different stakeholders.
What is clear is that the record numbers mask significant variation. Rural tourism, agrotourism, and cultural heritage destinations outside the major coastal zones have seen more modest growth, and in some cases, the influx of visitors has been welcomed by communities that had been losing population for decades.