Record tourism: Aragon exceeds 4 million visitors in 2024

The number of international travellers has grown by 11.8% and the DGA will continue with campaigns to attract more visitors

María Esteruelas Caldu Saturday, February 8, 2025 / 10:00

Aragon continues to break records in terms of tourism and last year it exceeded 4 million visitors and remains the second inland community with the highest volume only after Madrid. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), this figure is 4.7% more than that recorded in 2023 and highlights the increase in foreign tourists who have reached 911,502 visitors, 11.8% more. The summer months continue to be those that accumulate the most travelers with the peak in August and with the Pyrenees as the main attraction.

These data are extracted by recording travellers and overnight stays in the main tourist accommodations (hotels, campsites, rural accommodations, tourist apartments and hostels) without counting travellers in caravans or those who choose tourist accommodation , so the total figure would be slightly higher . Hotels continue to be the most used (75%) followed by campsites (12%) and rural establishments (5.9%) and all three have grown in number of visitors compared to last year.

As for the profile of the traveller, it is still mostly national from the same Community, from Catalonia, Valencia and Madrid, although international tourists are gaining more and more weight . Foreign tourists, whose spending doubles or triples that of a Spaniard, which is why they have become one of the strategic lines of the Executive, have risen by 12% and come mainly from France, Italy and Germany , although Latin American visitors are also significant.

The Minister for the Environment and Tourism, Manuel Blasco, who presented the figures together with the Director General of Tourism, Jorge Moncada, has assured that the fruits of the promotional tour through Latin America, which ended in December, will be seen in 2025 and has announced that they will begin a
tour through Europe with the same objective, but in closer markets , to maintain and increase the flow of international travelers.

Blasco has highlighted these figures and the work of a sector “that is doing very well” . “The fusion between gastronomy and tourism is going well. Many people come to Aragon to eat, visit our natural sites, monuments and learn about our history ”, he stressed, assuring that the tourism sustainability plans will have an impact beyond 2026 and he hopes to “continue to increase the number of visitors” in the coming years.

THE BASILICA DEL PILAR, THE ANETO AND THE LANUZA RESERVOIR: THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS

As for tourist attractions, according to data from the Tourist Intelligence System of Aragon (SITAR), the cultural and natural sphere predominates, so that the Basilica del Pilar, the Aneto, the Lanuza reservoir and the Monasterio de Piedra are the most valued and searched places on the Internet and social networks. As regards municipalities , Zaragoza, Teruel and Jaca lead the preferences.

In this regard, the minister has insisted on the effect of deseasonalisation , focusing on the Pyrenees. “Contrary to what is believed that it is only snow, the month of August is twice as long as February . People come to Aragon to see nature and heritage, which are the great attractions it has,” he said. An effect that also extends throughout the territory and is working “very well” in Zaragoza and Teruel. “Travellers do not come for something in particular and are guided by the diversity of our territory,” he said.

The Global Tourist Perception Index for Aragon reached 84.5 out of 10 in 2024 , reflecting a “very good” impression of the destination in general terms. Among the highlights, the Safety Perception Index was the highest (91.4) and the Tourist Product Satisfaction Index (74.3), the Climate Satisfaction Index (79.1) and the Hotel Index (70.5) all recorded good results.

Director General of Tourism, Jorge Moncada, and Minister of Environment and Tourism, Manuel Blasco, at the presentation of the report. Photo: Fabián Simón

VARIOUS STRATEGIC PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

Looking to the future, the Executive’s lines of action, in addition to the tour of Europe that will be detailed later, include preparing the Aragonese Tourism Strategy Plan 2025-2030 , which is currently in public consultation; a Sports Tourism Management Plan to promote these events in the region; and the Eclipse 2026 Strategic Plan , which is already out to tender.

The Director General of Tourism, Jorge Moncada, has predicted an “absolute transformation of Aragon” in March 2026 linked to the tourism sustainability plans. “There will be so many implementations that it will surprise and is generating a lot of interest. We are meeting the percentages and milestones” he concluded.