In 2024, the levels of Chinese tourists prior to the pandemic were already surpassed. Moreover, Chinese tourism last year recorded the highest year-on-year growth in foreign tourism in Madrid with a 67% increase compared to 2023, according to data provided by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
And this year the trend continues to rise. In the first six months of the year, 142,088 Chinese tourists landed in the Community, which is a 12% increase compared to the same period the previous year. Additionally, overnight stays are increasing (14% more), indicating that not only are more tourists coming from China, but they are also extending their stay.
The second country with the highest growth was Japan, and over 77,000 Japanese travelers stayed in Madrid hotels in 2024, a 56% increase from the previous year, although this country has not yet recovered to pre-Covid levels.
Strategy to attract tourists
"Undoubtedly, this recovery is the result of the implementation by the regional government of the growth strategy in distant markets, one of the priorities in tourism along with the consolidation of national and European markets," stated Mariano de Paco, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, to GRAN MADRID.
One of the key factors in this increase in Asian tourism has been the unprecedented expansion of air connectivity between Madrid and China. Thus, Adolfo Suárez Barajas Airport is playing an important role with connections to eight Chinese cities, offering direct flights to Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, among others.
In fact, this summer 61 direct weekly flights between Spain and China have been operated, almost double the number in 2019, leading to a 35% increase in seat capacity compared to the previous year, according to Asialink data, a company and consultancy specialized in Chinese tourism.
The same has happened with Japan thanks to the reinstatement of the direct route between Madrid and Tokyo by Iberia. The route between Seoul and the capital of Spain through Korean Air has also recently been reactivated, boosting the arrival of Koreans.
With all these developments, Madrid is also positioning itself as a bridge between China and Latin America with flights from oriental companies that stop in the capital before continuing their journey to Havana.
The great advantage of Asian visitors is their high spending capacity at the destination. Chinese travelers are very interested in shopping and are thriving in the Golden Mile or in shopping centers like Las Rozas Village.
This generates an average expenditure of 2,872 euros, well above the international average in Spain, which stands at 1,345 euros. The same applies to Koreans, who usually spend an average of 3,099 euros.
To boost these markets, the regional government has been working hard with specific strategies for Asia, focusing on China, Japan, and South Korea.
For example, campaigns were launched on social media and digital platforms, and the Community participated in tourism fairs and familiarization trips with journalists and tour operators.
Promotion focused on the Madrid lifestyle and the offer of tourist products linked to luxury, gastronomy, culture, and sports such as golf, as reported by the Minister of Culture and Tourism.
Another noteworthy development in this new scenario is that the profile of the Asian tourist has completely changed after the pandemic.
This traveler no longer seeks the phenomenon of tour operators offering visits to seven capitals in a rush in six days, but prefers personalized quality experiences.
As an example, 61% of South Koreans traveled individually last year compared to 30% who chose group packages.
"The oriental traveler is no longer attracted to tourist circuits that offer the same old thing, but prefers to experience unique and special activities. In this sense, Madrid is no longer just a stop on a tour but has become the final destination," says Gonzalo Blanco, CEO of Avenue Illustrated, a Chinese magazine and consultancy.
The importance of Chinese social networks
Along with his partner Lorenzo Palomares, Blanco manages the platform Hi China! created by Aena for oriental travelers to find updated information on their social networks such as WeChat, Xiaohongshu, and Weibo.
Additionally, at Barajas Airport, there is a counter with staff who provide assistance in Chinese to address newcomers' questions, as well as a 24-hour language assistance service.
It is important to remember that Chinese tourists handle all procedures online, hence the importance of providing information and generating quality content in their language through their networks.
Spain has become their third favorite country to visit thanks to its gastronomic offer and culture.
"Asians have struggled to recover from the Covid crisis. They were closed for three years and now they come back with more enthusiasm. For them, luxury is no longer just about shopping but about delving beneath the surface of the country and experiencing authentic depths," concludes Malena Ríos, Business Development Director at AsiaLink.