Public perception of tourism in Spain averaged 5.4 out of 10 in the second quarter of 2026, up 0.7 points from 2025, based on the analysis of nearly 1.2 million digital messages in the last 12 months on social media, online media, and specialized forums.
Despite the improvement, the tourism sector’s reputation remains heavily affected by overcrowding, strained infrastructure, housing costs, and lack of investment in transportation, the report shows.
In terms of conversation volume, the community of Madrid, Catalonia, and Andalusia continue to concentrate more than half of the digital interactions related to tourism collected during the last year, according to Spain’s Democrat news site.
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A couple take selfies in a crowed Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain, May 24, 2023. Photo by Reuters |
Spain welcomed 96.8 million tourists in 2025, a record high and an increase of 3.2% compared with the previous year, making it the world’s second-most-visited country after France.
During the first six months of 2026, 46.57 million international visitors arrived in Spain, 4.6% more than during the same period last year.
However, residents in major destinations have raised concerns about overcrowding, rising house prices, limited housing supply, and the strain on resources such as water, particularly where tourism infrastructure has expanded, Reuters reported.
Last year, thousands of people protested against mass tourism in popular destinations such as Canary Islands, Barcelona, and other popular holiday destinations like Palma de Mallorca.
Many also say higher living costs mean they can no longer afford holidays in their own resort areas.
City centers have been especially affected, as the spread of short-term rentals has reduced long-term housing availability and driven up rents, adding to tensions between locals and visitors.
Spain’s tourism ministry said in a statement the increase in visitor numbers and spending aligns with its goal of transforming the sector into a more sustainable model that prioritizes quality over quantity, aiming to reduce social and environmental pressures while maintaining economic benefits.
The “quality over quantity” approach is already evident in Spanish cities, which have moved to cap the number of licenses issued for short-term rentals, issued guidelines to visitors on meeting local etiquette expectations, and tightened rules on public behavior — including bans on smoking on beaches, according to Travel Tomorrow.
Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu said directing visitors toward inland and lesser-known destinations could help ease overcrowding in popular coastal areas, where heavy tourism has fueled a backlash from residents.
He urged regional governments to manage tourism offerings, arguing that demand will continue to grow.