At a time when Germany is struggling and France is still searching for new momentum, Spain continues to display rock-solid economic health. Estimated at 3.2% in 2024, its growth rate is four times that of the eurozone. This dynamic owes much to demographic growth but also, to a large extent, to a steady rise in tourist visits over recent years. Last year, the country welcomed nearly 94 million tourists, accounting for roughly 13% of GDP.
At the forefront of this success, Madrid hosted some 6.27 million international visitors in 2024, generating over €16 billion in spending—a 21% increase on the previous year, well above the national average (+16.2%). And the Madrid region has no intention of stopping there. To meet strong demand, it is reinforcing its tourism offer with a strategy focused on attracting high-value visitors, boosting hotel competitiveness, and promoting its unique identity to strengthen its positioning and status as a world-class destination. Hosting the 25th MITM Europe conference in Madrid also underscored the region’s ambition to expand its Meetings – Incentives – Conferences – Exhibitions (MICE) offering.
Madrid: a preferred destination for tourism professionals
L Just a few weeks ago, the Accor Group announced the opening of three new hotels in the Madrid region, specifically targeting business travelers. German operators are not to be outdone: TUI AG and Lufthansa/Eurowings have already announced increased rotations and flight frequencies—between Madrid and Frankfurt or Madrid and Munich, for example—significantly improving accessibility for German-speaking clientele. And while nothing has yet been officially confirmed, the tourism industry buzzes with rumors of further expansion by numerous players in the Spanish capital. Deutsche Hospitality’s IntercityHotel/Steigenberger group, for instance, has expressed its intention to strengthen its “H Rewards” network in Southern Europe, suggesting possible renovations or extensions of its Madrid offering.