Spain already welcomed 7.3% more tourists than last year

For the first five months of this year Spain welcomed 19 million foreign tourists – 7.3% more compared to the same period last year – reports Spain’s Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade. This May 5.2 million tourists visited Spain, which is 4.2% more than in previous May.

At the same time for the first five months of 2011 the tourist flow from Russia to Spain grew by 65% compared to last May. In March and April 2011 General Consulate of Spain in Russia issued 62% and 64% more visas respectively compared to the same months in 2010. In May the Consulate issued 79,283 visas (83.6% more than in May 2010). This is the highest rate of processed visa applications since the opening of the General Consulate office in Moscow.

The expenses of foreign tourists in Spain grew by 8% for the first five months of this year.