Although protests against mass tourism in Spain are growing, a recent survey highlights the country’s popularity, with just under two-thirds of all adults in Germany having already taken a holiday in Spain.
In a representative survey carried out by market research institute YouGov, 64% of respondents said they had spent at least one holiday in the southwestern European country.
Almost one in five, or 19%, of those surveyed said they had vacationed in Spain exactly once.
Almost a third, or 29%, had been to Spain between two and five times. Ten percent vacationed in Spain six to 10 times, 4% 11 to 20 times and 2% even more than 20 times.
The holiday destination, very popular not only with Germans but also with British, French and North American tourists, has recently made headlines due to frequent protests against the excesses of mass tourism.
On Sunday, thousands of people in Mallorca expressed their discontent. A day later, the regional government of the Balearic Islands promised “bold measures” against excesses, without giving specific details.
In other Spanish holiday hotspots, such as Barcelona or the Canary Islands, resentment is also growing.
According to the YouGov survey, Spain is particularly popular as a holiday destination in western Germany, where 67% of respondents said they had holidayed in Spain at least once. In the east, that number is just 56%.
Men, in general, vacationed in Spain slightly more frequently than women, 66% to 62%.
A total of 3,317 people took part in the YouGov survey on July 22.