Spain overtakes US for tourism after ‘Trump slump’
Spanish tourism up 12% despite year of political turmoil
Spain is set to leapfrog the US as the second most-visited country in the world by tourists, as the so-called ‘Trump slump’ continues.
Although the UN’s World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) does not release its official tourist numbers until the spring, early indications are that Spain is second only to France in terms of popularity for overseas visitors, with the US pushed into third.
Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced total earnings in the tourism sector rose by 12% to €87bn (£77bn) last year. The figures are all the more surprising given the political turmoil in Catalonia, Spain’s most popular tourist destination.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Last year, police crushed independence protests, anti-tourism demonstrations took place in Barcelona and 14 people were killed and hundreds injured in a terrorist attack in the city. Despite this, tourism in Spain soared to record levels.
It was a different story across the Atlantic, where the US saw tourist numbers drop by 5% in the first three months of last year, and a further 3% over the summer, a phenomenon dubbed the “Trump slump”.
First identified after the US President announced a travel ban which blocked passengers from some Muslim countries entering the US, there has been a direct correlation between the controversial measure and a drop in tourism.
According to travel data company ForwardKeys, online searches for flights to America dropped by 17% the week the ban was announced, while international travel to the US dropped 6.5%.
“The proposed ban also coincided with the strengthening of the US dollar, making it a more expensive prospect as a holiday destination,” says The Independent.
In April last year, the online news site estimated the drop-off in tourism would result in 4.3 million fewer visitors to US over the course of the year, adding up to a staggering $7.4bn in lost revenue.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Horror stories of women having to carry nonviable fetuses'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Haiti interim council, prime minister sworn in
Speed Read Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns amid surging gang violence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 26, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - teleprompter troubles, presidential immunity, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Justices set to punt on Trump immunity case
Speed Read Conservative justices signaled support for Trump's protection from criminal charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Biden is smart to keep the border-security pressure on'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Arizona grand jury indicts 18 in Trump fake elector plot
Speed Read The state charged Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies in 2020 election interference case
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Who will win the 2024 presidential election?
In Depth Election year is here. Who are pollsters and experts predicting to win the White House?
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
National Enquirer helped Trump in 2016, ex-boss says
Speed Read David Pecker says the tabloid published fabricated content to hurt Trump's rivals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sitting in judgment on Trump
Opinion Who'd want to be on this jury?
By Susan Caskie Published
-
How could the Supreme Court's Fischer v. US case impact the other Jan 6. trials including Trump's?
Today's Big Question A former Pennsylvania cop might hold the key to a major upheaval in how the courts treat the Capitol riot — and its alleged instigator
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published