Spanish hotels recorded their highest number of overnight stays for July, information from the latest data from the INE. Popular destinations were nearing capacity, so the industry offset stagnant visitor numbers with impressive price increases. The average cost of a double room climbed to nearly €157, up 7% from the previous year and setting a new July record.
Tourist behavior varied by origin. International visitors accounted for 30 million overnight stays, up 0.7%, while Spanish residents booked 14.8 million nights, down 0.4%. Overall, overnight stays rose 0.3% year on year to 44.8 million, an all-time high for July. Prices rose most sharply at three- and four-star hotels: four-star properties averaged €164 per night, up 7.2%, while three-star hotels reached €133, up 6.8%.
Five-star hotels saw smaller changes, charging an average of €339 per night, just 0.3% more than last year. Marbella led Spain’s most expensive destinations, with an average rate of €416 per night, a 22% increase. San Sebastián followed at €284, up 14%, and Chiclana de la Frontera at €234, up 3.3%. Estepona averaged €210, despite an unusual 44% decrease.
High prices and crowded destinations have affected Spain’s basic foreign tourism markets. The United Kingdom, Germany and France together accounted for 14.4 million overnight stays, or 32.2% of the total. Growth was minimal: stays by UK visitors increased by 0.6%, while those by German and French visitors fell by 0.4% and 2.7%, respectively. Gains from other countries partly offset the declines. The Netherlands recorded a 3.6% rise to 1.52 million stays, overtaking Italy in importance.
These shifts also affected regional tourism. The Balearic Islands, where foreign visitors account for 94% of overnight stays, recorded the highest total at 10.78 million, representing 24% of the national figure. But, that was down 1.7% from July 2025, the largest decline among Spain’s top six regions for international tourism. Foreign guests also account for large shares of stays in the Canary Islands (82%) and Catalonia (74%), as well as Madrid (62%), the Valencian Community (49%) and Andalusia (48%).
Rising room rates translated into higher hotel revenues. Average revenue per available room, a basic industry metric, climbed 6.6% year on year to €119.3, setting a new record. That is more than double the July 2021 level during the post-pandemic recovery and 55% above the pre-COVID peak in 2019 (€76.97). Rising prices and profitability also echo wider concerns about tourism’s impact on local communities. In Barcelona, for example, investment in public housing aims to counteract tourist pressure.
INE data for September show that the pricing trend continued beyond the summer peak. Hotels recorded more than 40.1 million overnight stays that month, up 1.7% year on year, while occupancy rose only 0.3% to 67% of available beds. The average daily rate for an occupied room reached €141.61, a 7.4% annual increase, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) rose 7.74% to €110.54. The Hotel Price Index increased 6.7%. RevPAR reflects both room rates and occupancy. Its faster growth relative to overnight stays points to stronger revenue per available room, rather than a comparable increase in the number of rooms filled.
Demand growth also remained uneven. Across the first nine months of 2026, hotel overnight stays increased 1.5%: stays by non-residents rose 2.2%, while those by residents edged up just 0.1%. Catalonia shows how high demand can coexist with regional price differences. The region recorded more than 50 million overnight stays in the period, with an average rate above €138 per night. Barcelona province averaged €157, compared with €92 in Lleida, €99 in Tarragona and €105 in Girona.
Spain’s tourism sector remains critical to the national economy, but rising prices and limited capacity raise questions about its long-term sustainability. The industry’s next steps will depend on balancing profitability with affordability while protecting the visitor experience. Millions of visitors continue to arrive each summer, leaving the sector to manage growth without undermining the appeal of Spain’s most popular destinations.
