The Community of Madrid recorded a 22.2% increase in international tourist spending in May, the highest in Spain. In the first five months of the year, the region welcomed 4.13 million foreign visitors, an 8.5% increase compared to 2025.
International tourism is reshaping the landscape in Spain, with the Community of Madrid at the centre of this growth. According to data released on Friday by Turespaña, the region recorded spending of €2.174 billion by foreign visitors in May, a 22.2% increase compared to the same month last year. This is the largest increase among the main autonomous communities in the country.
Additionally, Madrid also leads in average spending per traveller, which reached €2,107, the highest figure in the entire state. This data reflects a profile of tourists with greater purchasing power, who choose the capital and its surroundings for quality stays.
Between January and May, the Community of Madrid welcomed 4.13 million international tourists, an 8.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025. This growth was only surpassed by the Valencian Community (+9.3%) and was ahead of Andalusia (+8%). The increase in visitors and spending consolidates Madrid as one of the engines of national tourism.
At the national level, Spain received 36.8 million international tourists in the first five months of the year, a 5% increase compared to a year earlier. The total spending generated amounted to €50.257 billion, a 7.8% increase over the same period in 2025. Tourism continues to be a fundamental pillar of the Spanish economy, although its growth is no longer evenly distributed among the different regions.
Catalonia maintains its leadership in visitor volume. Between January and May, 7.55 million international tourists arrived, a 4% increase compared to 2025. Just in May, the Catalan community recorded a growth of 13.1% and spending of €2.587 billion, the highest figure in the country by community.
On the opposite side are the archipelagos. The Canary Islands received 6.77 million tourists by May, only a 0.1% increase from the previous year, making it the large community with the lowest growth. Spending in the islands increased by only 2.4% in May, well below the national average of 10.9%. Additionally, the Canary Islands were the only large community to register a decline in the arrival of international air passengers during the first half of the year, with a drop of 0.8%.
The Balearic Islands, for their part, welcomed 4.32 million tourists by May, a 3.6% increase, and spending in May grew by 9.2%, also below the advances of Madrid and Catalonia. The Mediterranean archipelago is currently immersed in a debate about its tourism strategy, as its growth slows compared to other peninsular regions.
The data from Turespaña confirms the importance of air transport. Between January and June, Spain received 54.6 million international passengers by air, a 5% increase compared to a year earlier, which translates to 2.6 million additional arrivals. The Valencian Community led the growth with 10.7%, followed by Andalusia (+8.9%), Madrid (+5.3%), and Catalonia (+4.8%). The Canary Islands were the only large community with a decline of 0.8%.
Spanish airports handled 156.2 million passengers during the first half of the year, a 3.7% increase, although at a more moderate pace than the previous year. The greatest dynamism was concentrated in the major peninsular airports: Alicante-Elche (+10.7%), Valencia (+10.9%), Málaga (+6.8%), and Madrid-Barajas (+5.3%) grew above Palma de Mallorca (+2.9%), while Tenerife Sur fell by 1.6%, confirming the lower pull of the Canary Islands.
For the tourist arriving in Madrid, this data translates into an increasingly diversified and higher quality offer, with average spending that doubles the national average. The region is consolidating as a preferred destination for high-spending travellers, mainly from markets such as the United States, Latin America, and Asia. The City Council of Madrid and the Community have promoted international promotional campaigns that are bearing fruit, attracting a profile of visitor seeking culture, gastronomy, and shopping.
The coming months will be crucial to confirm whether this trend continues during the high summer season. Forecasts suggest that Madrid could close the year with record figures both in the number of tourists and total spending, reinforcing its role as one of the most dynamic urban destinations in Europe.
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