Spending by foreign visitors to Spain rises

Madrid, July 27 (IANS/EFE) Foreign tourists who visited Spain in the first half of the year spent 24.42 billion euros ($31.74 billion), 6.6 percent more than in the same period of 2012, according to the Tourist Expenditure Survey published Friday.

The increase was due both to the 4.2 percent hike in tourist arrivals in the first six months of the year, and in the increase in expenses per person and per day of 2.2 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively.

June witnessed a 5.3 percent increase in international arrivals compared with the same month in 2012.

The increase in non-resident arrivals spurred a rise in total expenditure volume, led by higher spending by Russians and visitors from Nordic countries.

With an increase of 27.2 percent, Russians took first place in among the biggest spenders, being also the group whose spending increased most in absolute terms.

In global terms, the average expenditure per tourist last month was 949 euros ($1,233), 25 euros ($33) less than in June 2012, while average daily spending reached 109 euros ($142), dropping by 4 euros ($5.30).

--IANS/EFE

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