Middle East crises divert tourists to Spain, breaking records amid local backlash

Spain shattered its tourism records in April, drawing over nine million international visitors to the peninsula, according to national statistics. This marks a 5.2% increase from April of the previous year, with the first four months of 2024 showing a 3.4% rise in tourist numbers.

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Whenever there is a crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean or the Middle East, Spain is seen as a safe destination.

Experts attribute this growth partly to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, which are prompting tourists to bypass destinations such as Dubai and the Eastern Mediterranean. "Whenever there is a crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean or the Middle East, Spain is seen as a safe destination," noted Francisco Femenia-Serra, a lecturer at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, in comments to the BBC. Fede Fuster, president of the Benidorm tourism association, echoed this sentiment, stating that bookings "always increase during times of crisis, during armed attacks or wars," recalling a similar trend during the Arab Spring in 2011.

However, this tourism boom is not without its drawbacks. The influx of visitors is causing friction with locals in cities like Barcelona and on the Canary and Balearic Islands. A 2024 survey revealed that 32% of Spaniards felt there were too many international tourists in their local areas, a sentiment significantly stronger than in other European nations. The surge in tourism has driven up rental prices, as landlords increasingly cater to tourists over local residents. The average rent has doubled in ten years, far outpacing wage growth.

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Bookings always increase during times of crisis, during armed attacks or wars.

"Regarding the renewal of rental contracts, property owners no longer consider setting rents according to local income levels, but rather according to the salaries of people visiting from abroad, which can be three or four times higher. Thus, local people are priced out of their homes," explained Jordi Vila from the Sindicat de Llogateres, an association defending tenants' rights. This group, along with local officials like Malaga's mayor Francisco de la Torre, who implemented a three-year ban on new tourist accommodation licenses, are pushing back against overtourism. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has also acknowledged the issue, stating Spain has too many Airbnb rentals and too few homes, leading to significant fines for platforms advertising unlicensed properties.

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Regarding the renewal of rental contracts, property owners no longer consider setting rents according to local income levels, but rather according to the salaries of people visiting from abroad, which can be three or four times higher. Thus, local people are priced out of their homes.