Spain received a total of 5.3 million tourists during the first two months of 2010, a decrease of 1.5% compared to 2009. Although this is being seen as encouraging, it must be borne in mind that the same period in 2009 showed an 8.7% decline relative to 2008.
The Canary Islands top the destination list with 763,023 visitors, an increase of 2.3% over 2009. Cataluña is second with 671,342 visitors, although this is a decrease of 7.6%.
Andalucia remains in third place with 371,279 visitors, 4% more than in 2009, and Madrid is in fourth place with 282,017 visitors, down 11.7%.
Only the Canary Islands, Andalucia and Valencia registered an increase in visitor numbers in relation to 2009.
February was a bad month as far as the weather was concerned, the worst for thirty years, and this was reflected in visitor numbers which were down by 3.8% overall.
The UK remains the top market with 622,609 visitors, a decrease of 7.9%, with Germany in second place with 465,376 visitors, a decrease of 2.6%.