The president of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, has highlighted that this month of January has been “the best month in history in the arrival of foreign tourists to the Valencian Community”, which consolidates the recovery of international tourism compared to before the pandemic.
Ximo Puig made these statements during his visit to the stand of the Valencian Community at the Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB) in Berlin, which promotes the tourism of the Valencian Community in this event considered one of the biggest tourist showcases in the world.
In the course of the event, the president explained that from 2015 to 2019 the Valencian Community registered a continuous growth in foreign tourism that was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he assured that, according to the data currently registered, “the Valencian Community, together with the Canary Islands, are the two autonomous communities with the largest number of reservations for this season”.
Regarding international tourism registered last January, it should be noted that the Valencian Community received 480,302 foreign tourists, which is 71% more than the same month of the previous year. In addition, it should be noted that the Valencian Community is the autonomous region that has experienced the greatest recovery of the German outbound market compared to before the pandemic, since the number of German tourists received in 2022 is 3 percentage points away from equalling the 2019 figure, compared to the 12 points at which the rest of the autonomous communities are found.
Specifically, more than half a million German tourists were received (586,123), which represents an increase of 63.6% compared to the year 2021. In addition, the increase in the total expenditure of these tourists, which reached 635.2 million euro, which represents an increase of 76.2% compared to the previous year.
Regarding this last aspect, Puig has also highlighted that these figures predict that the economic profitability before the pandemic will be exceeded and, in particular, he has advanced that the expenditure during 2023 is expected to reach 800 million euro, that is to say a 26% more than in 2022.
Likewise, he pointed out that Turisme Comunitat Valenciana will increase investment in Germany by 60% to attract new tourists, with actions in the media and establishing contacts with tourist operators to “manage to consolidate the Comunitat Valenciana as a reference for German tourism”.
For his part, the regional secretary of Tourism, Francesc Colomer, has indicated that “it is very important that 2023 is perceived as the year of the full recovery of international tourism, and specifically of the western market where Germany is, and also the British market”. In addition, he has expressed his intention to “work more intensively” in other markets such as the United States and Asia.
German tourism represents 7% of the total number of foreign tourists arriving in the Valencian Community, which in 2022 will be 8.6 million. This means that this country is the fifth emitter for the Valencian Community, after the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Belgium.
By province, Alicante concentrates 52% of the German tourists who visit the Community; followed by Valencia, with 43%, and Castellón, with 5%.
