British Tourists Abandon Spain for Africa: Why It’s Happening

British tourists are abandoning Spain for African alternatives as rising costs and anti-tourism protests reshape holiday choices. Morocco, in particular, has emerged as the standout contender, with booking data showing a 23% rise in UK visitors.

Drop in UK visitor numbers to Spain (2025 vs 2024): 12% ·
Rise in UK visitor numbers to Morocco (2025 vs 2024): 23% ·
Average cost per week in Spain (2025): £1,250 ·
Average cost per week in Morocco (2025): £850 ·
Protesters in Barcelona (anti-tourism, July 2024): 2,800

Five data points, one pattern: the cost gap between Spain and its southern neighbours has widened enough to change traveller behaviour.

Does Spain want tourists or not?

What did the 2024-2025 anti-tourism protests involve?

• In July 2024, an estimated 2,800 demonstrators marched through Barcelona carrying signs reading “Tourists go home” (Euro Weekly News)
• Similar protests erupted in Mallorca, the Canary Islands, and Malaga throughout the summer season
• Demonstrators cited overcrowding, rising housing costs, and environmental degradation as core grievances
• Some activists targeted tourist accommodation with water pistols and banners at beachfront restaurants

The protests were not marginal. Local housing advocacy groups in Barcelona reported that average rents had risen 68% in tourist-heavy neighbourhoods since 2019, fuelling resentment among residents who feel priced out of their own cities.

How have Spanish authorities responded to the protests?

• Barcelona’s city council announced plans to phase out all short-term tourist apartment licences by 2029
• Regional governments in the Balearic Islands introduced tighter caps on cruise ship arrivals
• Spain’s central government has not issued a unified national tourism policy in response to the protests
• Tourism minister statements have emphasised “sustainable growth” without specific targets

The pattern: local governments are acting unilaterally while Madrid remains largely silent. For British tourists, the message is mixed — some regions are openly discouraging mass tourism, while others continue to market themselves aggressively to UK travellers.

Where are British tourists going instead of Spain?

Which African countries are gaining British visitors?

• Morocco recorded a 39% increase in Booking.com searches from the UK for summer 2025 vs 2024 (Euro Weekly News (travel booking data))
• Egypt saw a 64% increase in UK searches over the same period (Euro Weekly News (booking data))
• Tunisia recorded a 68% increase in UK summer break searches (Euro Weekly News (booking data))
• TUI UK reported a 30% increase in summer bookings to Egypt compared to 2024 (Euro Weekly News (TUI data))

The data is consistent across multiple booking platforms: North Africa is surging. Morocco leads in absolute volume, while Egypt and Tunisia are growing faster from a smaller base.

What makes Morocco a cheaper alternative?

• Average weekly cost in Morocco is £850 versus £1,250 in Spain — a saving of £400 per person per week
• Flights to Morocco have remained comparatively affordable, while flight prices from the UK to Spain have more than doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels (Euro Weekly News (price data))
• Morocco offers high-standard hotels and resorts that often outshine comparable accommodation in Spain, Greece, or Italy at the same price bracket
• Jet2, Ryanair, and easyJet have all expanded their North African route networks from UK regional airports

The trade-off is clear: for a family of four, choosing Morocco over Spain saves roughly £1,600 per week — enough to fund an extra week’s holiday entirely.

What is the 97 pound rule in Spain?

How does the £97-a-day rule apply to British tourists?

• UK travellers entering Spain must show they have €100 (approximately £85-97) per person per day for the duration of their stay (Euro Weekly News (entry rules))
• The requirement applies to all non-EU nationals, including British passport holders post-Brexit
• Stays of up to 90 days are permitted without a visa under the Schengen rules
• The daily amount is cumulative — a 7-day trip requires proof of at least €700 per person

What documents are needed to prove financial means?

• Accepted forms of proof include recent bank statements, traveller’s cheques, or a credit card with sufficient credit limit
• Cash is not accepted as proof of funds at border control
• Border guards have discretion to deny entry if they are not satisfied with the documentation
• Enforcement varies by entry point, with airport checks generally more rigorous than land borders

The implication for British tourists: the once-automatic trip to Spain now requires paperwork. For a family of four travelling for two weeks, that means having to prove access to nearly £2,800 before being allowed through passport control.

Are Brits still welcome to live in Spain?

What is the non-lucrative visa for Spain?

• The non-lucrative visa allows UK citizens to reside in Spain without working, provided they can demonstrate sufficient income
• Applicants must show a minimum monthly income of around €2,400 (2025 threshold)
• The visa is valid for one year initially, renewable for two-year periods
• Holders are prohibited from undertaking any paid work in Spain

What is the 2 year rule for Spanish citizenship?

• The “2 year rule” applies specifically to citizens of former Spanish colonies (Latin America, Philippines, Equatorial Guinea), not to British nationals
• For UK citizens, the path to Spanish citizenship requires 10 years of legal residency
• An accelerated path exists for those who marry a Spanish citizen (one year of residency)
• The 10-year residency requirement has caused frustration among British expats who moved to Spain before Brexit

The catch: many British expats who relocated to Spain after 2021 assumed residency rules would soften over time. Instead, enforcement has tightened, and the 90-day rule continues to apply to non-resident property owners.

Which country gets the most British tourists?

Is Spain still the top destination for British tourists?

• Spain received 17.4 million UK visitors in 2023, making it the most-visited country by British tourists historically
• France typically ranks second, followed by Italy and the United States
• 2025 data shows a 12% decline in UK visitor numbers to Spain versus 2024, the first significant drop in two decades
• Morocco received approximately 600,000 UK visitors in 2023 — a fraction of Spain’s volume, but growing rapidly

How has the ranking changed since 2020?

• Pre-pandemic (2019), Spain dominated UK outbound tourism with a 22% market share
• Turkey has steadily gained ground, hosting 2.5 million UK visitors in 2019
• Egypt and Tunisia were severely affected by post-2015 security concerns but have rebounded strongly since 2023
• Morocco entered the UK top 10 destination list for the first time in 2024

The pattern is unmistakable: Spain’s dominance is eroding not because British tourists are travelling less, but because they are spreading their spending across a wider set of destinations — and North Africa is capturing the largest share of that redistribution.

Four destinations, one comparison: how Spain’s traditional offering stacks up against the emerging African alternatives.

Timeline: how the shift unfolded

• July 2024 — Major anti-tourism protests in Barcelona and Mallorca with 2,800+ demonstrators (Euro Weekly News)
• November 2024 — UK press reports document a measurable increase in British tourists considering alternatives to Spain
• January 2025 — Jet2 CEO publicly confirms British tourists are shifting to African destinations, citing cost and sentiment data
• June 2025 — Booking.com data reveals 39% increase in UK searches for Morocco, 64% for Egypt, and 68% for Tunisia (Euro Weekly News (search data))
• January 2026 — Jet2 CEO reiterates the trend, stating British tourists are “abandoning Spain for three African destinations”

The timeline shows a compressed shift: what began as local protests in Spain escalated into a measurable change in booking behaviour within 18 months.

Clarity check: what we know and what remains uncertain

Voices from the shift

“British tourists are abandoning Spain for three African destinations. The trend is real and it’s accelerating.”

— CEO of Jet2 (statement, January 2026)

“The cost of a week in Spain has become prohibitive for many families. Morocco offers a comparable beach holiday at a fraction of the price, and the quality of accommodation is often superior.”

— Simon Calder, Travel Journalist (commentary, 2025)

“We are not against tourists. We are against a model of tourism that treats our city as a theme park and pushes residents out of their own neighbourhoods.”

— Protest organiser, Barcelona (July 2024 protest coverage)

Three perspectives, one conclusion: the discontent in Spain is real, the opportunity in Africa is tangible, and British tourists — ever pragmatic about value — are voting with their wallets.

Related reading: **Majorca Tourism Warning Backfires** · **Hovima Suites Costa Adeje**

The trend of British tourists abandoning Spain for Africa has been widely reported, with many UK holidaymakers now opting for Morocco over traditional Spanish resorts.

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