This week on the Guided Spain Tours blog we would like to share with you some findings from a recent study into American tourists in Spain, conducted by the Travel intelligence services firm Mabrain.
The study retrieved data from almost 40,000 U.S. tourists who visited Spain between June to August 2022. Whilst that is a very robust sample size, having worked with primarily American guests over our 15 years in the industry, we did find some of their conclusions fairly surprising.
Read on to find out where we can relate to the study’s findings, and where we would beg to differ!
Where do American Tourists Visit in Spain
According to the study, the top 10 most visited cities in Spain were:
Whilst it is no surprise to see that Barcelona and Madrid dominated when it comes to most popular destinations in Spain, and accordingly places like Toledo and Girona are high up the list as they provide terrific day trip opportunities from those two cities, we found it unusual that Andalucia was so underrepresented.
It has been our experience that guests traveling from The States over to Spain generally prefer to stay for at least 5-7 days, and would use at least a couple of those days to include activities in Andalucian destinations such as Seville & Granada.
Moreover, destinations that our discerning guests frequently report as being their highlight of the vacation such as San Sebastian and Montserrat haven’t made the cut at all on the list.
Do Americans visit multiple destinations on vacation?
The study states that 70% of Americans remained in one destination whilst in Spain, while “Over 60% of those following an itinerary typically travel to 2 regions or more”. This statement does ring true to us, and we think it suggests that guests enjoy a lot more value from their tour when they work with travel planning specialists.
It is natural for many European clients to take a short break to take advantage of the good weather on one of the Balearic Islands, or enjoy a vacation in one of our major cities alone to sample the cuisine and culture, simply because the proximity of our neighboring countries make this simple to achieve, whereas, we find that our U.S based guests want to get a fuller flavor of Spain and are usually very keen to hear what suggestions our team have for them to see as much of the country as possible within their timeframe and make use of our high-speed train network or via private transfers we can provide between cities.
Who Is the Typical U.S. Tourist in Spain?
According to the study, American tourists visiting Spain are typically:
- Over 35 years old
- Enjoy an average salary of over $75k
- University graduates
- From either the East or West Coast
This was something that sparked some debate in our office. Not because we disagreed with the report’s findings, but rather that we don’t see any value in lumping guests together this way and treating them like statistics or mere templates of real people.
Our ethos is all about personalizing our guest’s vacations so that they receive a bespoke tour where every aspect has been tailored towards their specific group and personalities. We want to align our knowledge and insight into Spain with the exact type of destinations, activities, local festivals, and culinary options that will delight you and create lifelong memories.
Are you Planning to Visit Spain?
If you are planning a trip to Spain we would love to hear from you (even if you didn’t attend college or live on the East or West Coast!) so we can get to understand your personality and get started crafting a unique itinerary for your vacation.
Source: https://mabrian.com/blog/the-american-tourists-in-spain/
