Spanish tourists travelled 3.2% less in the first eleven months of the year, making 143.3 million journeys, according to advanced data from the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism’s Familitur Tourist Movement Survey.
Spanish tourists travelled 3.2% less in the first eleven months of the year, making 143.3 million journeys, according to advanced data from the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism’s Familitur Tourist Movement Survey.
From January to November, Diario Sur reported that Spanish outbound travel to overseas destinations showed a sharper decline than the number of trips made within the country. Trips for long weekends (puentes) and Easter fell, while summer holiday travel showed growth. Weekend trips, representing more than half of the total, were relatively stable compared to 2012.
Travel by car and plane decreased, compared to the increase in trips made by train, bus or boat, and 80% of travellers chose non-hotel accommodation, with those who chose to stay in the homes of family or friends accounting for 41% of the total. Stays in all other types of accommodation, including hotels, declined.
With regard to choice of destination, the evolution was different than in previous months, with the growth in popularity of Castilla y León and Castile-La Mancha being highlighted. Andalusia and Catalonia were the most popular destinations of choice, although both experienced declines.
During the month of November, Spanish residents made 10.7 million trips, representing an increase of 5.5% over the previous year, thanks to both domestic and foreign travel.
With the growth in November, domestic tourism, which accounted for over 50% of the tourism activity, accumulated four months of increases, since the decline experienced in July. According to the survey’s definitive data for August 2013, the Spanish made 21.6 million trips, representing an increase of 4.1% over the eighth month of 2012, thus returning to a positive path after the July decline.