British and Germans lead Spanish Winter Market while Americans head spending
Holiday reservations to the Balearic Islands continue to gain momentum, recording a 7.1% week-on-week increase and a significant 27.4% rise compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures released by booking platform Travelgate. Over the past seven days, the archipelago ranked as the sixth most booked destination in Spain, accounting for 6.7% of total reservations.
In the national ranking, the Balearics trail Catalonia (20.3%), Andalusia (17.8%), Madrid (14.8%), the Valencian Community (10.9%), and the Canary Islands, which continue to dominate demand.
Last-minute bookings are on the rise, while couples are the dominant segment
Travelgate’s data also reveals evolving booking habits: 34.1% of trips were booked more than three months in advance, while 14.1% were made around two months ahead. At the other end of the spectrum, last-minute reservations represented 12.4% of total bookings.
Couples remain the dominant travel segment, accounting for 53.2% of reservations, while half of all travellers (50.2%) opted for short stays of two to five nights. Domestic tourism continues to lead demand, with Spanish travellers representing 46.5% of bookings made in the past week. They are followed by visitors from the United Kingdom (20.3%), Germany (4.6%), and the United States (3.7%).
U.S. tourists are the highest-spending visitors in Spain
U.S. tourism to Spain remains on a strong upward trajectory. In 2024, the country welcomed a record 4.3 million American visitors, marking a 38.7% year-on-year increase, and this growth has continued into 2025.
In the early months of this year alone, American travellers generated €4.9 billion in spending, with an average outlay of €2,113 per trip, well above European averages. Expanded direct air connectivity from cities such as New York, Boston, Miami and Los Angeles to Spanish destinations including Palma, Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Málaga has played a key role in this surge.
Cultural heritage, gastronomy and natural landscapes remain the main motivations for travel among 70% of American visitors, while Spain’s appeal as a destination for spiritual tourism is also growing. A 2025 study revealed that 75% of faith-motivated U.S. travellers view Spain as offering deeper and more meaningful spiritual experiences than the UK or the United States.
The typical American visitor is around 46 years old, earns an average annual income of $131,000, and tends to choose four- and five-star accommodation.
