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6TH - 12TH AUGUST 2019 - EDITION 799
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Less Brits visiting Spain A
nother record tourism year is forecast for 2019 based upon closing figures for the month of June. In the first half of 2019, a total of 38.2 million foreign holidaymakers visited
Spain, an increase of 2.8 percent year on year, and their spending per head rose by 3.7 percent, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). The average holidaymaker from abroad spent €163 a day in June, which included accommodation, food, excursions, transport, souvenirs and general entertainment – a rise of 8.2 percent or an average of €1,098 per head for the whole trip. UK nationals totalled 2.1 million in June and 8.3 million in the first six months of this year – a reduction of 5.3 percent on the same month in 2018 and of 1.4 percent for the first half of 2018. Acting minister for industry, trade and tourism, Reyes Maroto, says she is 'very concerned' about the shrinking numbers of British visitors. British tourists are always likely to be a feature. With an estimated 275,000 UK nationals living in the country and its popularity for buying holiday homes, expatriates will continue to be visited by friends and family. So, trips here are cheaper because accommodation is available without having to pay for hotels or apartments.
But Maroto says although Brexit is 'a great unknown' that could affect tourism in Spain, and the extent of these effects impossible to predict, she believes the recovery of competitor destinations could be an even greater influence. For Brits merely seeking warm weather, beaches and swimming pools, offers in the Greek islands, Tunisia, Egypt
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and Turkey have usually managed to undercut Spain on price, although until recently, safety fears in light of repeat terrorist attacks drew holidaymakers away from the latter three. Now they are all becoming trusted destinations again, it is possible British sunseekers travelling to Spain will decline in number. Brits still made up the largest country group in the first six months of 2019, despite their fewer numbers, and a fall was also seen in French tourist totals in the first half of the year, by 2.2 percent to 4.7 million. In terms of spending whilst on holiday in Spain, the Brits were the most flash, parting with a collective total of €7.75bn in the first half of 2019.