Madrid hits record £8.5bn in tourism spending as visitor numbers soar

Madrid saw a historic boost in visitor spending in the first half of 2026 as tourism numbers increased substantially.

According to Spain’s National Statistics Institute, the capital has reported international tourist spending of €10bn (£8.5bn) over the last six months.

This figure represents a 11.4 per cent surge compared to the same period in 2025, when it stood at €8.9bn (£7.6bn).

Almudena Maíllo, the tourism city councillor said that this demonstrates “the enormous appeal that Madrid has cultivated, both nationally and internationally.”

She said tourism is “an engine of development for the city, generating economic activity in neighbourhoods and creating stable employment for thousands of Madrid residents.”

“Every euro spent by visitors benefits the city and the services enjoyed by Madrid residents,” she added.

Madrid’s City Council said it received more than 5.6 million visitors in the first six months of the year, which is also a 4.1 per cent increase year on year, as well as registering 11.9 million overnight stays.

Overseas tourists accounted for more than half (59 per cent) of visitors to Madrid, with the rest being domestic visitors from within Spain.

Tourists from the United States made up the largest proportion (some 567,158 travellers have been recorded so far this year.) This is followed by Italy, with 228,576 visitors, and the United Kingdom, with 180,463. All three markets grew compared to the same period in the previous year.

Despite the increase, Spain has been a flashpoint for overtourism protests.

In January, the Museo del Prado in Madrid announced it was setting a maximum group size to avoid being like “catching the Metro at rush hour” after visitor numbers peaked last year.

Miguel Falomir, the director of the museum, told a press conference that “the Prado doesn’t need a single visitor more”.

Despite the packed attractions, Madrid’s council says the tourism sector remains “confident” in its benefits after increasing employment in the industry by more than five per cent so far this year.

Issues with overtourism have sparked consecutive summer protests in many of Spain’s holiday hotspots. Residents of Mallorca took to the streets on 26 July to demonstrate against the impact of mass tourism in the Balearics.

Protest leaders Menys Turisme, Mes Vida (Less Tourism, More Life) declared that the issue is now at a breaking point, stating in a social media post that “the resident population suffers an unprecedented housing crisis and a progressive decline in living conditions” due to its popularity with tourists.

In April, the Spanish government announced it would triple its investment in public housing in response to accusations that holiday let accommodation drove up house prices and decreased supply.

Read more: Spain says it expects to welcome a huge 100 million tourists this year