Madrid saw a historic boost in international tourism in the first half of 2026, with spending reaching €10 billion, up 11.4% year on year, according to Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE).
With its blend of major museums, history-filled streets, renowned gastronomy and a vibrant cultural life, Madrid is becoming ever more attractive to travellers from around the world. The Spanish capital closed the first half of 2026 with record figures: international tourism generated €10.007 billion in spending, 11.4% more than in the same period a year earlier.
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For the City Council, these figures underline Madrid's ability to attract visitors, talent and investment. The head of tourism, Almudena Maíllo, has pointed out that the sector's growth has an impact that goes beyond the economic data, breathing new life into neighbourhoods, creating jobs and strengthening the city's services.
Madrid is not only drawing in more travellers, it is also seeing a growing share of international visitors. Between January and June 2026, the capital welcomed 5.66 million tourists, 4.1% more than a year earlier, with foreign markets as the main driver: they now account for 59% of arrivals and generated two out of every three hotel nights. In total, overnight stays were just shy of 12 million, with an average stay of 2.38 nights among international visitors.
The capital strengthens its global appeal with more visitors from the US, Brazil and Europe
Madrid continues to widen its international appeal, with the United States as its leading source market. In the first half of 2026, American travellers exceeded 567,000, with more than 1.3 million overnight stays, while Italy and the United Kingdom rounded out the top three foreign visitor markets.
The biggest leap came from Brazil, which became the fastest-growing market, with a 30% increase in visitors and a 24% rise in overnight stays. Portugal also gained ground, strengthening Madrid's links with European and Latin American markets.
Madrid's tourism boom is also evident in its hotel offering and employment figures. The capital ended the first half of 2026 with 920 establishments, almost 48,600 rooms and more than 96,000 beds, numbers that confirm the expansion of its tourism infrastructure. The sector also reached 15,249 workers, 5.4% more than the previous year, driven by business confidence in the city's appeal.
