Spain promotes off-the-beaten-path destinations to tackle overtourism

Faced with rising tourism numbers, the Tourist Office of Spain is taking a hard look at ways to combat the surge of visitors that have overwhelmed some of the country’s more popular destinations.

The fight against overtourism intensified this past summer – a peak period for tourism in Spain – when protesters marched the streets of Barcelona in July, squirting visitors with water guns while chanting “tourists go home.”

Locals involved in the demonstration argued that tourism is increasing housing prices and putting pressure on services, leading to greater gaps in social equality.

READ MORE: “Tourists go home:” Barcelona anti-tourism protesters squirt water at visitors

It was one of many high-profile events to draw attention to tourism’s dark side, an issue that extends well beyond the borders of Spain. Earlier in the year, Venice, Italy, took action against overcrowding, becoming the first city to impose a fee on daily visitors.

Spain, with relatively affordable prices, comfortable year-round climates, world-famous landmarks, and ports for large cruise ships, could be next to seriously address the issue.

The country on Europe’s Iberian Peninsula has already unrolled measures in tourism hotspots like Barcelona, which increased its tourist tax this past October.

The increase was meant to encourage “quality” tourism, instead of more numbers, and help pay for expenses like cleaning and security, according to the city’s mayor Jaume Collboni.

Barcelona has also announced plans for a citywide ban on all short-term rentals marketed by companies like Airbnb and Booking.com.

In Canada, the Tourist Office of Spain, led by a new Consul for Tourism Affairs, Isabel Martín-Benítez, is taking a more organic approach to the issue: by engaging with the travel trade and promoting regional diversification to spread tourism across larger geographic areas (a plan that could, if done properly, reduce the concentration of visitors in high-traffic cities).

“For Spain, tourism is very important. It’s 13 per cent of our GDP. We have to have tourism, but we have to manage it now. That is our goal,” Martin-Benitez told PAX during a sit-down interview in Toronto last Thursday (Nov. 28) at Casa Paco restaurant, where an event, called “Immerse Yourself in the Flavours of Spain,” was held for travel pros and media.

“For us, the most important thing is sustainable tourism. We have to learn how to do it in Spain. We want tourists to visit in a sustainable, more responsible way.”

Canadian arrivals increase

The message comes as Canadian arrivals in Spain continue to rise.

Sharing the latest stats, Martin-Benitez said Spain’s post-COVID recovery was felt last year when more than 600,000 Canadians visited the country.

This year and next, however, is already proving to be more fruitful. From January to September, Spain already logged 540,000 Canadian visitors (a mix of both cruise and air arrivals – although most visitors arrived by plane, Martin-Benitez said).

READ MORE: Air Transat unveils summer 2025 schedule, adds Montreal-Valencia

And, according to ForwardKeys data, bookings for the next six months, into 2025, are up by 27 per cent.  

“It’s going really well,” Martin-Benitez said.

The roads less travelled

One trend that tourism officials are tracking is that more Canadians are landing in parts of Spain that they typically didn’t visit before, such as Valencia, the Basque Country, and the Canary Islands, Martin-Benitez said.

This ties directly into Spain’s strategy for combating overtourism as officials urge travel advisors to promote more off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Places like Castile and León, Martin-Benitez said. It's a region in northwestern Spain that’s surrounded by mountains, and home to historic cities like Segovia, where centuries of settlement have resulted in a fascinating architectural legacy, including medieval walls, Romanesque churches, a former royal palace and a Gothic cathedral.

The Alcázar medieval castle, here, is rumoured to have served as the inspiration for Walt Disney's Cinderella Castle.

Martin-Benitez also thinks the Canary Islands are a good fit for Canadians. “It’s not very far, you have beaches, culture, and good weather year around. There are seven volcanic islands. It’s so amazing,” she said.

The tourist office is also pushing “Green Spain,” a region in the country’s north that’s known for its natural beauty, charming towns, and unique culture. This area is made up of the provinces of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country.

“The gastronomy is some of the best in Spain,” Martin-Benitez said.

Valencia, located on the banks of the Turia, on the Mediterranean Sea, is becoming increasingly popular, Martin Benitez said, and more Canadians are expected to visit this summer when Air Transat launches direct service to Valencia from Montreal.

When asked about the state of Valencia after intense rainfall last month led to deadly and destructive flash floods, Martin Benitez said “the city is fine,” but “of course there are some villages still suffering a lot, and they will recover.”

Air Transat’s new Valencia route enhances access to Spain from Canada through major gateways like Toronto, Calgary and Montreal, which includes flights to other Spanish cities offered by Air Canada and WestJet.  

Another sustainable way to experience Spain is to utilize the AVE High-Speed Train, Martin-Benitez said.

“It’s one of the best in the world,” she said. “You can go from north to south, it’s a very good way to explore Spain.”

Travel advisors can learn more about Spain through the tourism office’s Specialist Program, which offers information about the destination through webinars and FAM trip opportunities.

Martin-Benitez said Spain will also host more FAMs in 2025, and connect with agents in person at events in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver.

Her tip for travel advisors as they investigate new itineraries in Spain? “Experience life in Spain by exploring new places,” she said.

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