Author: Alex Fraile, Welcome Ashore Spain Ambassador

Let’s be honest.

Cruise tourism doesn’t always get the credit it deserves.

Between January and July, Spain welcomed 7.5 million cruise passengers across 2,796 ship calls. Each arrival brings visitors who dine in our restaurants, shop in our stores, hire local guides, and fill our taxis.

It’s a powerful economic engine for our coastal cities. Yet cruise tourism is often singled out for criticism, even as Spain received 75.4 million tourists by air over a similar period.

It’s worth taking a closer look at the numbers.

Cruise passengers are among the highest-spending visitors to Spain.

In Barcelona, for example, cruise tourists spend an average of €230 per day, more than triple the €70 daily average of non-cruise visitors. And because many cruises begin or end here, thousands of passengers extend their stays, adding hotel nights, restaurant meals, and cultural experiences before or after their voyage.

In other words, cruise tourism attracts travellers who invest in local economies.

This spending sustains family businesses, strengthens our local economies, provides jobs and helps fund the local services that matter most, from public transport to green spaces.

When managed well, cruise tourism complements other forms of travel and amplifies the benefits of Spain’s position as one of the world’s top destinations.

Spain’s cruise sector is thriving, and with thoughtful long-term planning and collaboration between communities, ports, and industry, it can continue to be a source of pride and prosperity for years to come.

Let’s keep building on that success.

Join the Welcome Ashore coalition and help ensure that the benefits of cruise tourism reach every corner of our coastal cities responsibly, proudly, and together.