Between January and September 2023, the Canary Islands welcomed more than 10 million international passengers, marking an impressive 13.5% increase compared to the same period last year, as reported by Turespaña on Thursday.
Out of this substantial figure, approximately 6 million passengers were transported by low-cost airlines, reflecting a significant increase of 17.8%, while traditional carriers accommodated around 4 million passengers, showcasing a commendable growth rate of 7.5%.
Looking specifically at the month of September, Canary Islands’ airports received a total of 1.02 million people, representing a notable 7.5% increase compared to the same month in the previous year.
Meanwhile, across Spain as a whole, there were a staggering 73.2 million international passengers between January and September 2023, marking an impressive growth rate of 19.1%. In September alone, the number of passengers arriving in the country from international destinations reached 9.6 million, which was a substantial 10% increase compared to September 2022.
Héctor Gómez, the Acting Minister of Industry, Trade, and Tourism, expressed in a press release that the diversification of source markets, with tourists arriving from a broader range of locations, is highly encouraging for the tourism sector. This trend signifies a significant transformation in the quality of destinations and experiences available to travelers.
Several major source countries showed remarkable passenger increases, with more than 10% growth in nearly all markets. Notably, Poland led the way with a remarkable 34.3% increase, followed by Portugal and Italy, which recorded impressive growth rates of 18.6% and 17.7%, respectively.
The United Kingdom contributed significantly, with 2.2 million international passengers, making up 23.4% of the total arrivals in Spain in September. This marked a substantial year-on-year increase of 9.6%. The Balearic Islands witnessed the highest flow of arrivals at 27.2%, closely followed by the Canary Islands, which accounted for 20.7%. Additionally, the “Green Spain” regions (Galicia, Cantabria, and Asturias) experienced substantial growth of more than 10%.
Arrivals from Germany reached 1.4 million (15% of the total), with a 10% increase. These passengers were primarily directed towards the Balearic Islands (46.4% of passengers) and also witnessed significant growth in Valencia and Andalusia.
Italy contributed 9.1% of the passenger flow in September, nearly 900,000 passengers, registering a robust year-on-year growth rate of 17.7%. This benefited Catalonia and the Community of Madrid, with the Basque Country experiencing the most substantial increase of 150% for these travelers.
France was responsible for 7.4% of the total passengers in September, with an expansion of 10.8%, especially favoring Catalonia and Madrid, which collectively received 47.2% of the total arrivals from France.
Data from the Ministry of Industry revealed that 4.9% of all passengers arrived from the Netherlands. This market experienced growth of 14.3% in September, with the primary destinations being Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community.
6 SPAIN’S REGIONS ACCOUNT FOR ALMOST 97% OF INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS
Six main regions accounted for an impressive 96.8% share of arrivals, with noteworthy increases of 20% in Andalusia and 18.9% in the Community of Valencia this month.
The Community of Madrid recorded the highest share of arrivals in traditional airlines at 41.8%, while Catalonia reported the highest year-on-year increase in this category, soaring by 27.3%.
Regarding low-cost airline traffic, the Balearic Islands led with the highest share of arrivals at 25%, closely followed by Catalonia at 22.7%. Andalusia and the Valencian Community experienced significant year-on-year growth, both exceeding 18%.
In September, 55.9% of total passengers arrived from the European Union, reflecting an increase of 13.1%, while the remaining 44.1% from the rest of the world also grew by 13.3%.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport welcomed the most arrivals in September, totaling 2 million passengers, followed by Barcelona with 1.7 million and Palma de Mallorca with 1.5 million. The airports with the highest year-on-year increases were Valencia, with an impressive 22.8% growth, and Malaga, with a substantial 20.9% rise.
Throughout 2023 so far, Barajas and Barcelona airports together accounted for nearly half of all arrivals at Spanish airports.
