Spain at World Travel Market 2023

08.11.2023 - 07:35 / breakingtravelnews.com

From January up until the end of September 2023, Spain received 66.5 million international arrivals, up 18.8% year-on-year, and 0.6% below pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The main inbound tourism markets were the United Kingdom, representing around 13.8 million arrivals, France with almost 9.4 million arrivals and Germany, with almost 8.5 million arrivals.
By Autonomous Communities (or regions), from January to September (inclusive), Cataluña received the most international visitors with almost 14.2 million arrivals, followed by the Balearic Islands.

SPANISH HIGH-SPEED TRAINS HIT RECORD 8.32 MILLION PASSENGERS IN Q2 2023

The Spanish high-speed train network set a new passenger record in the second quarter of 2023, carrying 8.32 million passengers, a 33% increase from the previous year. This record encompasses all routes with multiple operators (Renfe, Avlo, Ouigo, and Iryo) offering competitive pricing and services. Notably, Avant (High-Speed Mid-Distance) services, exclusively operated by Renfe, carried an additional 3.3 million passengers, a 57% increase. Highlights of passenger growth in Q2 2023 include:

Madrid-Seville: Over one million passengers, a 30.3% increase.
Madrid-Malaga/Granada: Approximately one million passengers, a 25.8% year-on-year rise.
Madrid-Alicante: Over 750,000 passengers, a 32.1% increase.
Madrid-Valencia: An impressive 86% growth, with 1.3 million passengers.
Madrid-Barcelona: 3.6 million passengers, a 36% increase from the same quarter in 2022.
The growth of high-speed rail travel in Spain continues to provide sustainable and cost-effective transportation options.

VALENCIA: EUROPEAN GREEN CAPITAL 2024

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Valencia has been named the European Green Capital for 2024 by the European Commission. This prestigious award underpins the city’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its ongoing efforts to address the challenges of climate change.

Valencia has long been committed to a more sustainable future with pioneering measurement of the city’s tourism impact. In October 2023, it was announced that the city was one of the first to receive the Mission Label from the European Union for its commitment to decarbonisation, acknowledging the pledge to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% and achieving climate neutrality by 2030. This ambitious commitment is a culmination of the city’s various green initiatives, which have been recognised at both local and international levels, also earning the titles of European Capital of Smart Tourism 2022 and the Capital of Sustainable Food in 2017. 

To be recognised as European Green Capital, the city had to pass an extensive sustainability test measuring air, noise, waste, water, nature and biodiversity, land use, eco-innovation, climate