Canadian arrivals to Spain grow more than 25%

Canadian arrivals to Spain grew by 25.2 per cent in 2017 to reach a total of 489,307, while overall international arrivals set a new record, according to the preliminary full-year results of the Spanish Statistics National Institute.

Overall, international arrivals to Spain totalled 81.8 million tourists in 2017, a new all-time record for inbound tourism to the destination. According to the report, the statistic represents an 8.6 per cent increase from 2016 and has put Spain second only to France in terms of international arrivals.

Laura Pena Alberdi, director of the Spanish Tourist Board in Canada, told PAX that the draw of cultural heritage and increased airlift from cities such as Toronto and Montreal contributed to the massive increase of Canadian arrivals in the last year. For Canadians, Spain was the ninth most popular international destination in 2016, representing 1.4 per cent of total international travel by Canadians.

"The draw of European culture and heritage is a huge motivator for Canadians to travel," she said, "and Spain has a lot to offer in that regard."

The most visited destinations in Spain by Canadians are Catalonia (at 45.3 per cent of total arrivals), Madrid and Andalusia, followed by the Balearic Islands and the Valencia Region.