This European Country Overtook The US To Become 2 'Most Popular' In World

This country has firmly cemented itself as a tourism Goliath after welcoming a record number of tourists in 2017, and beating the USA as a favourite tourist destination.

Spain welcomed 82 million foreign tourists in 2017, smashing its own tourist record for the fifth year in a row. The record-breaking number was an 8.9% increase on the 2016 total, according to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who announced the figures during a trip to Rome on Wednesday.

The latest figures catapult Spain to a new status as the second most visited country in the world, overtaking the United States; the world’s most visited country is still France.

Tourist spending is also up, which is good news for Spain, which counts on tourism as one of its most important industries. Tourists spent 12.4% more in 2017 than in 2016, splashing an incredible €87 billion.

Spain-loving nations

The British show no sign of falling out of love with Spain, and it is this nationality that visits Spain in the biggest numbers: an estimated 18 million last year. Some of the most popular destinations include the Balearic Islands, home to Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, and the Canary Islands, which include Tenerife, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. Not too far behind the British are the Germans, another northern European nationality that loves the sun, sea and sangria of Spain; 11 million Germans went on holiday to Spain in 2017. In third place were the French, Spain’s northerly neighbours, of whom 6.7 million visited Spain last year.

The news will come as a relief to Spain’s tourism industry, which feared a possible drop in tourist numbers after the August terror attack in Barcelona and Catalonia’s political unrest surrounding its independence referendum in October.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.