Spain’s non-hotel tourist accommodation sector continues to thrive, according to the latest monthly update from the National Statistical Institute (INE). In September, overnight stays in non-hotel accommodations — including apartments, campsites, rural tourism lodgings, and hostels — soared past 14.4 million, delivering robust growth of 4.1% compared to the same period last year.
Strong Gains in Apartments and a Surge from International Tourists
Tourist apartments posted a particularly outstanding performance, with overnight stays rising by 5.8%. Drilling into the numbers, stays by Spanish residents grew by 1.9%, while international visitors provided a powerful boost with an increase of 7.6%. However, the average stay across all accommodation types dipped slightly, down 2.1% to 4.9 overnight stays per traveller.
Non-resident travellers continued to be the backbone of the sector, accounting for 68.9% of total non-hotel overnight stays. The United Kingdom easily remains Spain’s top source market, comprising 34.3% of all international overnight stays.
Canary Islands and Balearic Islands Lead the Way
When it comes to preferred destinations for apartment stays, the Canary Islands topped the charts, recording more than 2.2 million overnight stays in September—an impressive increase of 11.7%. The Balearic Islands achieved the highest occupancy rate, with a significant 81.3% of available apartments filled.
Costa Blanca stood out as the most popular tourist area, exceeding 0.9 million overnight stays. Lanzarote posted the highest occupancy rate, at an impressive 87.8%. The top individual tourist hotspots included San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Mogán, and Arona.
Campsites Continue Growing, Led by Catalonia
Campsites also saw positive momentum, with overnight stays rising by 4.9% year-on-year. Spanish residents contributed most of this growth, increasing their stays by 11%, although international stays decreased slightly by 1.4%. Catalonia emerged as the top region for camping, with over 2.5 million overnight stays and a strong annual growth rate of 11.8%. La Rioja boasted the highest site occupancy, at 65%.
In terms of specific areas, Costa Brava drew in the highest number of camping guests with more than 1.1 million overnight stays. Yet, Costa Blanca led in occupancy, filling 72.6% of its camping plots. Benidorm, Mont-Roig Del Camp, and Sant Pere Pescador ranked as the busiest spots for camping visitors.
Rural Tourism Holds Steady Amid Growing Occupancy
Rural tourism accommodations experienced a modest increase of 0.5% in overnight stays for September. Although resident travellers registered a small decline of 0.3%, non-resident stays grew by 1.8%. Occupancy reached 23.4% overall — up 4.4% compared to September 2024 — and climbed to 38.4% on weekends. The Balearic Islands once again featured prominently, drawing more than 244,000 overnight stays (up 3.2%) and achieving the highest occupancy rate in rural tourism at 66.4%.
Mallorca led among specific rural destinations with over 181,000 overnight stays, while Menorca had the highest occupancy, filling 75.6% of its rural accommodation offerings.
A Promising Autumn for Spanish Tourism
September’s strong results in Spain’s non-hotel accommodation sector underscore the country’s enduring appeal for both domestic and international visitors. From the sunny Canary and Balearic Islands to the bustling tourist spots of the mainland, Spain’s diverse offerings continue to draw millions of travellers. Industry experts are optimistic this positive trend will continue through the remainder of the year, buoyed by both steady local demand and a loyal international following.
