What's the typical American tourist in Spain like?

Spain has been a popular tourist destination for northern Europeans for decades, but in the post-pandemic period the profile of holidaymakers has begun to shift somewhat.

Now we seem to be in what the Spanish press has dubbed the ‘golden age’ of American tourism in Spain. 

Looking at the numbers, they could be right: in 2023 a staggering 3.83 million American tourists came to Spain, spending 35 percent more than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

American tourism to Spain is certainly on the up and there seems to be no sign of stopping it.

Increasing numbers of Americans are travelling to Europe anyway, something that Spain, as one of the continent’s (indeed the world’s) premier tourism destinations, has reaped the rewards of.

But more practical aspects have also helped, particularly improved flight connections between Spain and the U.S, notably new routes from New York to Málaga, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife.

David César Heymann, tourism economics at Caixa Bank, told Spanish daily El Mundo that the boom in tourism from the United States is one of the major industry changes in the post-pandemic sector. “Although the vast majority of spending continues to come from European countries, tourism from North America has made substantial progress and contrasts with the fall in Asian tourism, which has lagged behind,” he said. 

Prolonged Covid-19 restrictions were a major factor in holding back Chinese tourism in the early-2020s, while the relative weakness of the yen has reduced the number of Japanese tourists coming to Europe overall.

What’s the typical American tourist in Spain like?

Survey data and information from the Spanish tourism board gives us a pretty good idea of who the typical American tourist is.

Firstly, Americans, wherever they come from, tend to spend well in Spain. Very well in fact, and significantly what other tourists do. In 2023, the average expenditure by American tourists on trips to Spain was €2,024, compared to €1,277 for other tourists.

The priorities of these wealthy US visitors have changed. "Before they'd come to Spain to go to a meeting or to reach an investment decision. They'd travel alone, or in a pair. Now they bring the whole family, book out several suites and stay several days," Alejandro Bernabé, head of the Four Seasons in Madrid, told Spanish business daily Expansión.

Figures from TurEspaña show that American tourists mainly visit Catalonia (38 percent of total expenditure), followed by Madrid (26 percent), Andalusia (10 percent), the Balearic Islands (10 percent) and Galicia (4 percent).

Their main activities when in Spain are visiting cities (68 percent), shopping (58 percent), cultural visits (62 percent) and gastronomy (34 percent).

"Americans show a great interest in Spanish culture and the increased usage of English helps to make them feel more comfortable. They take part in authentic experiences, which boosts sectors such as museums, shows and gastronomy," Robert Lowe, director general of Madrid's Mandarin Oriental Ritz, told Expansión.

In terms of where in the US these tourists come from, there are five states that stand out. 

Survey data cited by tourism website HostelTur shows that 13 percent of all American tourists in Spain come from California, followed by Texas (10 percent), Florida (7 percent), New York (7 percent) and Illinois (5 percent), which means that those five states make up 42 percent of all visits.

There are also some rather interesting socioeconomic breakdowns too, with tourists from California far more likely to be Millennials (66 percent), as well as those from New York (52 percent).

Floridians visiting Spain were pretty evenly spread, with Millennial tourists, Boomers, Gen X and Gen Z all representing roughly a quarter each.

Tourists from Illinois tend to be older, with 41 percent of those coming to Spain being part of the Boomer generation, and 18 percent Generation X.

Holiday makers from California, Texas and New York were found to be more likely to travel in a group, whereas those from Florida and Illinois more likely to travel alone.

Most Americans across all groups are more likely to book with a travel agency than they are themselves, besides those from Texas.