The Spaniards spent a total of 35.4 billion euros on their trips to Spain in 2022, according to the latest data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). But the distribution is very uneven. Statistics figures reveal that residents in the north of Spain allocated a much higher budget to travel outside than within their community.
On average, Spaniards spend 60% more in other regions than in their own, but the case of Galicians stands out (who spent an average of 480 euros outside their community, compared to 111 euros within Galicia, a 77% more). They are followed by the Cantabrians (76% more), the people from La Rioja (75%), the Asturians (72%), the Basques (70%) and the Navarrese (68%).
Where its residents spend the most is in Castilla-La Mancha (59% of spending abroad) and Andalusia (60%). In the first, the inhabitants spend a total of 124 euros in their own community and 307 outside it, while Andalusians allocate 159 euros within their own region and 400 euros outside it.
Trips made in 2022 by residents in Spain increased by 20% in 2022, but it is still far from the pre-pandemic figures. The data confirm that last year Spaniards made a total of 171.4 million trips in 2022, 13% less than the 193.9 million in 2019.
Where do the Spanish travel? In its vast majority (91% of total trips) to Spain, only 16 million trips abroad, a figure still well below that of 2019 (20.1 million). In this way, the total expenditure of Spaniards in their country is 35,400 million euros, and 14,800 million abroad.
Although the number of trips is still below 2019 levels, spending by Spaniards on tourism skyrocketed in 2022 to 50,300 million euros, 55% more than in 2021 and 4% more than 48,000 million of 2019 due to inflation. The average expenditure per person on travel in 2022 is 293 euros, 67 euros on each day of vacation, compared to 248 euros in 2019.
Andalusia, main destination
The community of Andalusia was the favorite destination for Spaniards and accumulates 16.4% of the total trips made in 2022, followed by Catalonia (14.1%) and the Valencian Community (10.5%). While the least visited by the Spanish were La Rioja (only 1% of the total), Navarra (1.2%) and Murcia (2%).
And in terms of spending, where the Spaniards left the most money on their trips was in the Canary Islands (87 euros per day), Comunidad de Madrid (84 euros) and the Basque Country (82 euros). And the lowest were in Castilla y León (43 euros) and Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha (both with 45 euros).
Spaniards mainly traveled for leisure and to visit family and friends, with those between 45 and 64 years of age traveling the most, 40% of the total. Young people and retirees travel the least, for different reasons, since they represent 16% and 14% of the total, respectively.
A busy fourth quarter
In the last part of the year (from October to December) Spaniards made almost 38 million trips, 4% more than in the same period of 2021 and very close to the 40 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to INE data. . But the spending exceeds all expectations: the Spanish allocated 10,560 million to their trips, 30% more than last year and already above the 9,000 million that were spent in the same period of 2019.
And although the main spending went to national destinations (it rose 12% compared to 2021), on trips abroad it increased 83% because in 2021 there were still many restrictions and fear of the pandemic. The data on average daily spending stands out, which on trips to Spain stood at 69 euros, while on trips abroad it was 141 euros.