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Date Published: 03/04/2025

Foreign tourists spent €1.1 billion in the Region of Murcia last year, a new record

The British were the biggest spenders, forking out an incredible €353.5 million in the Region of Murcia during 2024

Last year, foreign tourists spent more money than ever in the Region of Murcia, handing over a whopping €1.17 billion in 2024, a 32.6% increase from the previous year. This surpasses the €1.1 billion mark, setting a new record for the Region.

According to the INE, this impressive growth is outpacing the national average, with Murcia experiencing the second-highest year-on-year growth in foreign tourists.

If these numbers look impressive, they’re nothing compared to Spain’s performance so far in 2025. During February alone, traditionally one of the quieter months, a staggering 5.4 million foreign visitors flocked to Spain, the majority hailing from the UK.

In January and February, 130,680 foreign tourists travelled to the Region, the highest figure of all time and 26.3% higher than the first two months of 2024, with growth well above the national average of 6.9%.

The UK is still the top market for Murcia, with British tourists spending a record €353.5 million in 2024, a 30% increase from the previous year. This exceeds their pre-Brexit and pre-pandemic spending levels, solidifying the UK's position as the Region's largest market.

French tourists followed closely, with a 31.9% increase in spending, reaching an all-time high of €138.2 million.

While the UK is leading the demand, other nationalities are gaining ground. The share of British visitors has decreased by 0.5% compared to 2023, making way for emerging markets like Belgium, which has risen to 9.4% of total spending, surpassing Germany. The Netherlands is also on the rise, now representing 6.7% of total spending, up from 4.5% in 2018.

Individual tourists from the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and China were among the biggest spenders, with average expenditures per person exceeding €1,000. Emiratis lead the pack, spending an average of €1,293 per person, followed by the Swiss (€1,245), Chinese (€1,186), Saudi Arabians (€1,089) and Andorrans (€1,088).

The Region of Murcia's impressive 32.6% growth in tourism spending is the second-highest among autonomous communities, after Navarra's 36.5% increase. This growth is 17.5 percentage points above the national average, which saw a 15.1% increase in 2024.

“We're seeing increasing international interest in the Region of Murcia, and these tourists are high-spending, long-stay tourists who fit in well with the real goal of de-seasonalising our tourism,” director of the Tourism Institute, Juan Francisco Martínez, concluded.

In other news: Wonky fruit and leftovers: Spain enforces new rules for supermarkets and restaurants

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