China and Spain are consolidating their bilateral tourism ties
Tourism between China and Spain continues to grow and strengthen, as various indicators show. In the first six months of 2026, air traffic between the two countries rose by 46.8% to 707,530 passengers, according to Aena. In 2025 alone, morethan 795,000 Chinese tourists visited Spain, 22% more than the previous year and 13.5% more than in 2019 (before the pandemic), according to figures from Jennifer Zhang, CEO of the strategic consultancy Asialink, as reported by Hosteltur. Meanwhile, more than 210,000 Spaniards visited China last year, 33.7% more than in 2024. Similarly, Spain’s victory in the Football World Cup has led to a rise in interest in Spain from China.
More than 795,000 Chinese tourists visited Spain in 2025, 22% more than the previous year and 13.5% more than in 2019, according to figures from Jennifer Zhang, CEO of the strategic consultancy Asialink, as reported by Hosteltur; over the last decade ,there has been an increase of 148.6%. The total expenditure of these travellers in our country exceeds 2.2 billion euros, whilst the average spend per trip is 2,775 euros and the average daily spend is 459 euros. This trend is set to continue, as 65% of these tourists expect to increase their travel budget in 2026, according to Hosteltur. Furthermore, their average stay in our country is now six days, and they play a significant role in reducing seasonality in the industry, as they mainly visit us between November and February. Meanwhile, more than 210,000 Spaniards visited China in 2025, 33.7% more than the previous year.
Furthermore, according to Spanish economic newspaper El Economista, our country’s recent victory in the Football World Cup has sparked a surge in interest in Spain from China; a rise in search queries and online engagement in the run-up to one of China’s major summer holidays, the National Day ‘Golden Week’, which takes place during the first seven days of October. Proof of this is that on the Monday following the victory, searches for flights on the Shenzhen–Barcelona route rose by 33%, according to the Global Times, whilst interest in flights to Tenerife rose by 19% and to Málaga by 10.5%, based on data provided by the travel platform Qunar.
Report by Turespaña
According to a report by Turespaña, spending by Chinese tourists in our country between March 2025 and February 2026 totalled 2,310 million euros, representing a 22% increase compared with the previous twelve months. Spain also featured prominently on the radar of Chinese long-haul travellers: it ranked second among Tongcheng’s long-haul destinations, featured in the top 10 for hotel bookings on Qunar, and was among the top destinations for car hire. Furthermore, scheduled air capacity recorded year-on-year growth of 41.7%.
The Chinese market was heading into the spring/summer season of 2026 on a positive note, although against a backdrop still characterised by a moderate economic recovery, low consumer confidence and more selective spending patterns, according to the Turespaña report. At this juncture, the challenge for our country is not merely to attract Chinese demand, but to capture a more discerning market, one that compares products more closely, is less tolerant of friction and seeks a clearly compelling value for money.
In any case, Spain is in a favourable competitive position. The data in the report show a significant increase in spending by Chinese tourists in Spain during the period March 2025 to February 2026, alongside a recovery in search interest towards the end of the period analysed. Furthermore, the Dragon Trail indicators pointed to a steady recovery in Chinese outbound travel: during the 2026 Chinese New Year, record highs were recorded for domestic travel, a 10.2% increase in cross-border travel by Chinese citizens, and growth of over 30% in outbound bookings on major platforms.
Positive indicators
Spain also features prominently on the radar of Chinese long-haul travellers: it ranked second among Tongcheng’s long-haul destinations, featured in the top 10 for hotel bookings on Qunar, and was among the top destinations for car hire. Although it does not yet rival Southeast Asia or short-haul destinations in terms of volume, it does have a strong presence in segments characterised by higher spending power and a greater inclination towards cultural, experiential and long-haul travel.
The planned flight capacity reinforces this positioning. For the 2026 spring/summer season, Spain recorded year-on-year growth of 41.7%, well above most of its major European competitors, and surpassed France in terms of scheduled air capacity for the summer of 2026. This development represents a significant milestone, given France’s traditional importance in Chinese tourism to Europe, and strengthens Spain’s position in converting potential interest into actual demand, particularly in a market where flight availability, journey time and the number of stopovers are decisive factors.