Girona, January 2024

The province of Girona received 8.5 million tourists who generated 27.7 million overnight stays during the 2023 season. The destination improved on the figures from the previous season.

In 2023 the province of Girona received 8,514,972 tourists (1.38% more than in 2022), who generated 27,654,210 overnight stays, representing an increase of 4.44% over 2022.

By tourism brands, the Costa Brava registered 7,438,711 tourists (+1.1% compared with 2022), who generated 25,374,249 overnight stays (+4.6% over 2022). The Girona Pyrenees received 1,076,261 tourists (+3.2% compared with 2022), who generated 2,279,931 overnight stays (+1.6% over 2022).

As regards source markets, the Catalan and Spanish are the top tourist markets for Girona’s destinations, generating half of the recorded overnight stays. Among the international markets, the French market holds top position as the most important despite a slight decrease in 2023, followed by the Benelux countries, the German market, which has grown significantly, and the British market, which bounced back in 2023 almost reaching the figures from 2019. Also noteworthy is the considerable growth of the US market in the destination over the past two years.

In 2023, the province of Girona had 270,000 places available in regulated tourist accommodation divided among hotels, apartments, campsites and rural tourism establishments. Hotels received the most overnight stays during the year in the destination, with 12.6 million overnight stays, followed by campsites, with 11.6 million overnight stays, then tourist apartments, with 3 million overnight stays, and finally rural tourism accommodation, with half a million accumulated overnight stays. The average number of nights’ stay on the Costa Brava was 3.4 nights, while in the Girona Pyrenees the overall average remained stable for all types of accommodation at 2.1 nights.

In 2023, Girona – Costa Brava Airport recorded 1,586,463 users, which is an increase of 20.7% over 2022. By nationalities, British travellers were the main users, followed by German and Dutch visitors.

It was also a good year for cruises visiting the Costa Brava’s ports. The cruise season at the ports of Palamós and Roses closed with 53 stops and 52,300 passengers, an increase of 4.6% over the previous year.

Finally, tourist expenditure in Catalonia grew by 32% in 2023, compared with 2019. Spending increased as a result of inflation, but also because of greater consumption of tourist services. Currently, foreign tourists spend €227 per person per day (€23 more than in 2022), while domestic tourist expenditure per person per day is €102.80 (€12 per day more than in 2022).