The number of UK holidaymakers to Spain fell 40% this summer due to Covid travel restrictions, according to latest independent data.
Overall international arrivals into Spain in July and August were half of pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
Traditional key source markets such as the UK and Germany saw marked declines, research by travel analytics firm ForwardKeys showed.
The seat capacity from the UK was only at 49% of 2019 levels.
Analyst Juan Gomez said: “This summer Spain was vastly impacted by the UK travel restrictions, which resulted in a 40.3% drop in arrival numbers compared to 2019, despite the relaxation of these in August.
“The German inbound market was also down by 34% following the discouraging messages from the German government.”
Tourists from Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands saw growth on pre-pandemic figures while domestic tourism almost recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
Gomez added: ”The remaining part of the year looks promising. Tickets confirmed for travel to Spain from September to December are already at 50% of what was traditionally booked now.
“Considering how short the lead booking times have become, it wouldn´t be surprising to see many visitors book last-minute escapes to Spain this autumn.
“For the domestic market, we remain cautious as the market is highly seasonal, however, we expect to see decent upticks in October and early December coinciding with 12 de Octubre and Constitución national holidays.”