The main conclusions of this report are presented below, according to the different sections that correspond to the specific objectives of the study.

• After 3 years, international tourists once again lead the ranking of the origin of tourists in the Barcelona region (52.6%).
• The private vehicle (car or motorcycle) repositioned again as the most used means of transport to reach the Barcelona region (42.1%) and the hotel as the preferred accommodation for tourists (50.8%).
• The average of times that tourists had been before at the destination municipality slightly increased compared to the previous year (13.5 times).
• Most tourists visited the region as a couple (53.8%) and for leisure and vacation reasons (62.9%).
• As in the previous year, the purchase of the arrival transport and the hiring of accommodation were made mainly through the company's website (55.7% and 36.7% respectively).
• The average tourist expenditure has decreased with respect to the previous year, reaching a value of 577.7€ per person.
• During their stay, tourists mainly travelled on foot (64.7%), the most popular activity was going to restaurants (79.8%) and they value ​​their stay in this destination municipality with a 8.4.
• 41.3% have made an excursion outside the municipality where they are staying, with Barcelona city being the main destination of these excursions (27.9%).
• 43.3% have chosen to eat in a Spanish cuisine restaurant during their stay.

Sociodemographic profile

The typical tourist profile who has visited Barcelona region in 2023 is that of a man (61.9%), with an average age of 43.2 years, with university studies (57.4%) and working as a salaried employee (65.2%).

The total recovery of the international market compared to the pre-pandemic years has led it to return, after 3 years, to the top of the ranking of the origin of tourists to the Barcelona region, with 52.6%. Noteworthy that France, the United Kingdom and Germany are the international countries with the most visitors to the Barcelona region.

Characteristics of the stay

Despite decreasing with respect to previous years, the hotel is still the most used type of accommodation by 50.8% of tourists in the Barcelona region, followed by private homes (with friends, relatives)  (17.7%) and campsites (17.5%). The average stay in the Barcelona region in 2023 is 5.1 nights, data more similar to those of the pre-pandemic years.

Reason and characteristics of the travel

62.9% have visited the Barcelona region for vacation or leisure, 21.1% for personal and other reasons and 16.0% for professional reasons. Among the professional travelers who have attended a professional event, those who have done so to attend a fair (42.5%) and a congress or conference (42.2%) stand out.

In contrast to the previous year, the number of tourists who have already visited the destination municipality increased slightly and became the profile of tourists who visit the region most often. These repeat visitors have visited the destination municipality an average of 13.5 times in the last 10 years.

In terms of travel group, travel as a couple continued to be the most frequent group of travel (53.8%), followed by who traveled with minor children (22.3%) and alone (20.8%).

Travel planning

43.5% of tourists are guided by the information they find on websites and 27.2% by the information provided by their friends and relatives to plan their visit to the Barcelona region. On the other hand, the purchase of the arrival transport and the hiring of accommodation were made mainly through the company's website (55.7% and 36.7% respectively).

In 2023, the private vehicle (car or motorcycle) has been once again the most used means of transport to reach the region (42.1%), followed by the plane (38.7%) and the train (9.1%).

Expense

In 2023, the average expense of the whole trip per tourist has registered a decrease compared to the previous year, mainly caused by the in tourists who stayed in hotels compared to this period, reaching a value of 577.7€: €191.5 in round trip transport, €210.3 in accommodation - €46.3 per person per day - and €175.9 in other expenses - €41.9 per person per night-.

Once again, tourists continue to spend more than half of their expenses during their stay on food and drink and distribute the rest, in that order, on shopping and internal transport and entertainment.

Carried out activities and main internal transport

57.6% of the tourists who have stayed overnight in Alt Penedès have visited the city of Vilafranca del Penedès, 57.5% of those who stayed in Moianès, the city of Moià, 48.6% in Anoia, the city of Igualada and 43.5% in Baix Llobregat, one of the region's beaches.

The most popular activities in the destination have been going to restaurants (79.8%), shopping (49.6%) and going to the beach (48.1%).

During their stay, 71.1% of tourists moved around the destination municipality on foot, followed by those who traveled by private car (20.6%). As in previous years, the main form of tourist travel has been on foot in 64.7% of cases.

Excursions

41.3% of tourists have made excursions from the municipality where they are staying in the Barcelona region, with Barcelona city being the main destination of these excursions (27.9%). These excursions continue to be made mainly by private car (37.6%) and by local train (25.1%) and are intended for sightseeing (67.0%), visiting to friends and family (7.5%) and attending professional meetings or other work or meetings (5.3%).

Finally, it should be noted that the average expense of these excursions has been €59.2 per person, a decrease of €16.5 compared to 2022.

Other aspects of the Destination

Tourists who have visited the Barcelona region are mainly attracted by the character and friendliness of the people (8.7), by the personal security (8.6), by the accommodation (8.5), by the beaches (8.4) and by the natural environment (8.3) and values ​​the whole of this destination municipality very positively (8.4).

24.7% of tourists who have visited us would be willing to pay an extra cost of more than 10% for a sustainable service.

On the other hand, 23.4% of tourists who have visited the Barcelona region have spent some night or plan to spend some night in another European destination during their trip, with Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and Valencia standing out among these destinations.

Finally, 26.5% of tourists have previously looked for places they will go to eat during their stay, highlighting in their final choice of gastronomy a Spanish cuisine restaurant (43.3%), a Catalan cuisine restaurant (40.2%) or a bar or coffee shops (34.5%).

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The Profile and Habits of Tourists in Barcelona region 2023 has been undertaken thanks to 6.206 surveys to visitors aged 18 and over that stayed overnight in the region of Barcelona in the months of January to December 2023 in any type of accommodation other than a second home or a cruise, with the aim of getting to know better the profile and habits of travelers during their stay in the region.

More information:

• Individuals Tables of Tourist Profile and Habits in Destination Barcelona 2023
• Profile and habits of tourists in Barcelona region results report 2023