MADRID: Spain’s government said Tuesday it expected the Middle East war to contribute to a bumper tourist season, but warned that the crisis could also drag down a key driver for the Spanish economy.
Tourists who had planned to go on holiday in the Middle East may now prefer apparently safer destinations in the western Mediterranean like Spain, Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu said.
“But there are also factors like the increase in energy costs, which translates into higher air transport costs,” he added, pointing out that the majority of international tourists arrive by plane.
The minister said Spain has experienced a surge in last-minute bookings since the start of the war, predicting a “magnificent” Easter for the tourism sector.
READ MORE: Aviation, tourism, agriculture… the economic sectors hit by the war
“We have different factors, some may positively influence the evolution of tourism in the coming months, but there are other that pose a threat to the growth we had been experiencing,” Hereu said.
A record 97 million foreign tourists visited Spain in 2025, up 3.5 percent from the previous year, making it the world’s second most visited country.
Visitors from Britain and Germany made up roughly a third of all international arrivals.
Strong tourism revenues have helped Spain post one of the fastest economic growth rates in Europe in recent years.
The Bank of Spain warned last week of a possible “significant slowdown” due to the Middle East war, although it still forecasts growth of 2.3 percent this year.
The Arab Spring uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa, which began in 2010, boosted Spain’s tourism sector.
Spaniards largely travelled within the country rather than visit conflict-hit countries, while international arrivals increased, with tourists seeing Spain as a safe alternative to rival sunshine destinations such as Tunisia and Egypt.
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