Tourism in Zaragoza continues to rise, generating an economic impact of 682 million euros in 2024

Tourism in Aragon continues to grow at an exponential rate. The figures confirm this, with a total of 
1,267,256 travelers in 2024, representing a 7.4% increase compared to the previous year. The average stay of these visitors is 1.7 days in hotels and 3 days in tourist apartments. In addition, 2.1 million overnight stays were recorded, representing a 4% increase compared to 2023.

These are some of the data collected in a study conducted by the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Zaragoza for the City Council, which was presented this Friday. The Minister of Education, Culture and Tourism of the Zaragoza City Council, Sara Fernández, the Professor of Sociology at the Faculty of Economics, David Pac, and the Professor of Economic Analysis at the same faculty, Raquel Langarita, were responsible for presenting this analysis.

Thus, tourism continues to consolidate itself as a growing sector in our community, leaving an economic impact of 682 million euros in 2024, a figure higher than the previous year (632 million) and that recorded in 2022 (605 million euros). In total, the direct impact of tourism in 2024 reaches 403,047,257 euros, to which must be added the indirect impact, which stands at 279,309,615 euros.

Furthermore, the advisor believes, “it seems that those who visit us leave with a good taste in their mouths,” with the average satisfaction with their stay being outstanding, reaching a score of 9.5. This often leads them to want to come back or recommend Zaragoza to their friends.

SPENDING PER TOURIST

The analysis shows that average tourist spending remains stable compared to last year, at €129 per day for Spanish tourists and €122.27 for foreigners. The preferred accommodation remains hotels, especially three-star hotels, followed by stays with family or friends, apartments, and camping, the latter being more common among foreign tourists.

The breakdown of expenses reveals that accommodation is the largest expense, with an average of €49.8 per day, followed by restaurants (€34), entertainment (€8.9), cafes (€8.7), gifts (€6.7), and supermarkets (€6.6). Although spending is similar between Spaniards and foreigners , slight differences are observed in certain areas.

Spending on accommodation varies, with 36.2% of tourists spending between €31 and €60 per person per day, and 36.1% spending more than €60 . Regarding restaurants, the percentage of tourists spending more than €40 has increased , from 20.0% in 2023 to 28.4% in 2024. Furthermore, more than half of tourists spend between €5 and €30 on gifts, although 24.2% do not spend this amount.

Spending on tourist and cultural visits is also significant, with 60.8% of tourists spending between €5 and €30. Couples tend to spend more per person per day, with 76.4% spending more than €45. On the other hand, solo tourists are the biggest spenders, with 42% spending more than €90 per day, excluding accommodation. Average spending decreases as the number of people in the group increases .

The economic impact of tourism has benefited several sectors , with the most benefiting being accommodation, restaurants, retail, and cultural activities . Furthermore, this growth has generated employment in towns such as Villanueva de Gállego , Huesca, and Teruel. Event tourism continues to grow, with a total of 431 events in 2024 , 5.6% more than the previous year, and an economic impact of €84.61 million.

1.2 MILLION TRAVELERS IN ZARAGOZA

In 2024, Zaragoza welcomed 1,267,256 travelers, an increase of 7.4% compared to the previous year. This growth is mainly due to the increase in international tourists, which increased by 12%, while domestic travelers grew by 5.5%. Of these visitors, 70.1% were Spanish and 29.9% were foreign, according to data from the INE (National Institute of Statistics and Census).

The most visited international tourists in Zaragoza came from France (15.5%), Italy (8.2%), the United States (6.7%), Portugal (5.5%) , and the United Kingdom (5.6%). Nationally, the largest number of tourists came from Catalonia (22.9%) and Madrid (20.7%).

Regarding visitor profile, 29.9% of Zaragoza’s tourists were international, while 70.1% came from Spain, according to the 2024 Hotel Occupancy Survey conducted by the INE.

The city also recorded a total of 2,174,902 overnight stays, representing a 4.8% increase over the previous year. The majority of these overnight stays (1,492,888) were made by domestic tourists , while those by international tourists grew by 9.8% , compared to a 2.7% increase for domestic tourists.

WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION FOR VISITING THE CITY?

Among tourists’ motivations for choosing Zaragoza as their next destination, monumental heritage is the main reason for almost 64% of tourists, followed by cultural heritage at 14%. Leisure and gastronomy also appear as other reasons for visiting the city.

In terms of travel group types, couples predominate in almost one in two cases (48.5%), while the number of solo travelers has decreased slightly, from 11.1% in 2023 to the current 9.31%. Families account for 22.7%, and traveling with friends accounts for 17.1%.

Traveling by train is the most popular way to get around the city (42%), continuing the upward trend seen last year. Traveling by car remains a popular option, reaching 38.3%. Traveling by plane continues to rise and is chosen by 11.4% of visitors, three percentage points more than last year.