Tourism in Spain: Main Features and Types of Tourism
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Main Features of Tourism in Spain
In Spain, the international movement of passengers is focused in the airports of Madrid and Barcelona. However, there is also a significant flow of passengers through airports located in and near popular tourist destinations, such as Palma, Malaga, and Tenerife. Efforts are being made to increase the use of air transport for merchandise by improving cargo sections of airports.
Importance of Tourism in Spain
Spain is one of the main global centers for tourism, with 59.8 million tourists visiting in 2014. Tourism contributed almost 12% to GDP. Favorable factors influencing the development of tourism in Spain include the proximity to a European customer base, natural conditions with hot summers and excellent beaches, rich and diverse cultural, artistic, folkloric, and gastronomic offerings, infrastructure, safety, and political stability.
Main Types of Tourism in Spain
Beach holiday tourism is the main type of tourism, especially during the summer months in the peninsular Mediterranean and the Balearic and Canary Islands. Other types of tourism promoted include alpine tourism in ski resorts, environmental tourism in natural locations, cultural tourism in cities with a historic heritage, tourism in Madrid, and business tourism. Emerging types of tourism include cruise ships and shopping.
Foreign and National Demand for Tourism
Foreign demand for tourism in Spain is mainly European, especially from Germany, Britain, and France, and is focused in the summer months. National demand comes mainly from Madrid, Catalonia, and Andalucía, with tourists seeking other types of tourism more evenly distributed across the territory throughout the year.