MADRID: A record 28 million foreign tourists flocked to Spain during the first half of the year, with British and German holidaymakers leading the wave, the government said yesterday.
The number of foreign visitors was up 7.3 percent over the figure for the same time in 2013, when the country set a new record for tourist arrivals, the tourism ministry said.
Tourism is a main pillar of Spain’s economy, struggling to gain strength after a decade-long property boom collapsed in 2008, leaving one in four out of work.
Unrest in other countries popular with European tourists such as Egypt and Turkey has helped boost visitor numbers to Spain, the world’s third most visited nation.
British holidaymakers topped the list. AFP
