The UK’s Influence on Spain’s Tourism Growth and Sustainability Goals
The panel by British Chamber of Commerce and Vueling in FITUR 2025 also highlighted the importance of promoting lesser-known destinations to diversify beyond traditional hotspots such as the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, and Andalucía.
The British Chamber of Commerce and the airline Vueling analyzed, during the 45th edition of Fitur held in Madrid, the implications of tourism contributed by Great Britain to Spain, with a special focus on the region of Catalonia.
At Vueling's stand in Hall 10 of the fair, a panel composed of Lloyd Millen (British Consul in Barcelona), Patrick Torrent (Executive Director of Catalonia Tourism), Manuel Butler (Tourism Advisor at the Spanish Embassy in the United Kingdom), and Mateu Hernández (General Director of Tourism of Barcelona), moderated by Sandra Hors (Director of Corporate Assistance at Vueling), debated the importance of adapting Barcelona's tourism offer to meet new trends.
The panelists agreed that the British tourist is currently looking for new experiences, and that the flow of tourists from the United Kingdom to Spain has grown steadily in recent years. They emphasized that the United Kingdom contributes 20% of Spain’s tourism revenue, but that the market is complex, as it tends to be unstructured, with no defined search patterns.
Mateu Hernández highlighted the importance of “taking tourism seriously,” pointing out that cities like London offer valuable lessons, particularly with its shopping tourism, especially during the holiday season. Additionally, they noted that British tourism generates 25 million euros, with visitors primarily seeking safe and quality experiences, while also highlighting the rise of youth tourism.
Each year, 20 million British tourists visit Spain, and the panel stressed the importance of offering tailored and attractive options to residents of southern England. They also emphasized the promotion of sustainable tourism, with Vueling supporting this initiative by providing low-carbon connectivity as part of its strategy.
The image of Spain in the United Kingdom remains very strong, making it the top destination for sun-and-beach vacations and the favorite holiday spot for British tourists. These visitors primarily travel for leisure, staying mostly in hotels, though rental accommodations and family or friend-hosted stays are also popular. The majority of tourists are middle-class, traveling as couples or families, with an average age of 45 years.
Popular destinations include the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, and Andalucía, according to estimates from Turespaña.
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