2024 tourism data
The Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees received 8.5 million visitors, generating 28.3 million overnight stays in the 2024 season, 2.3% more than the previous season.
JANUARY 2025
In 2024, the Girona region received 8,498,869 tourists, generating 28,348,190 overnight stays, a figure that represents a 2.3% increase over 2023, according to the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board, using data obtained from the Eurecat Tourism Observatory and the Catalan Tourism Agency's Intel·litur platform. Occupancy figures indicate an increase in the average length of stay at the destination, a very positive development both for hospitality companies, which improve their profits, and for the destination, which reduces its carbon footprint. It is also worth noting that the seasonality of overnight stays has decreased, with surges during the low and middle seasons.
Moreover, overall spending by international tourists in Catalonia has also increased by around 12%, a figure that confirms the sector's positive dynamics. Currently, foreign tourists spend an average of €1,169 per trip per person in Catalonia (€20 more than in 2023) and generate an expenditure per person per day of €216 (€7 more than in 2023).
By tourist brands, the Costa Brava has received 7,511,218 tourists, who generated 26,204,256 overnight stays (3.3% more than in 2023). The Girona Pyrenees received 967,017 tourists, accounting for 2,097,881 overnight stays (8% less than in 2023).
In terms of feeder markets, Catalonia is the main source for destinations in Girona. Despite this, the international market as a whole has regained its historical prevalence over the Catalan and Spanish markets, as the trend observed in the years following the pandemic, when Catalan and Spanish tourism had a greater volume, was reversed in 2024. Thus, the international market has gained ground and now accounts for 53% of overnight stays. Specifically, the French market ranks first, recovering 2 points with respect to the previous year; followed by the Benelux market, a stabilized market; the German market, which has grown by 6 points, and the British market, which has recouped volume and grown by close to 11 points. The remarkable growth of two markets stands out: the Italian market, which has increased by 16 points compared to 2023, and above all the North American market, which has surged strongly in the last three years, growing by 25 points compared to the previous year.
In 2024, Girona had 270,000 regulated tourist accommodation beds between hotels, apartments, campsites and rural tourism establishments. Hotels were the establishments that received the most overnight stays during the year at the destination, with 13.6 million overnight stays; followed by campsites, with 11.6 million overnight stays; tourist apartments, with 2.8 million overnight stays, and, finally, rural tourism houses, with almost half a million accumulated overnight stays. The average length of stay for the destination as a whole is 3.34 nights, showing a positive trend. On the Costa Brava, the average stay is 3.49 nights, while in the Girona Pyrenees it is 2.17 nights.
Another matter that is worth analysing is the evolution of Girona-Costa Brava Airport. In 2024, this infrastructure came close to handling 2 million passengers, with a total of 1,997,571 users. This figure represents a growth of 26% with respect to 2023 and beats the passenger figures of the last six years. By nationality, the British are the main users, followed by the Germans and the Dutch.
For its part, the cruise season in the ports of the Costa Brava has been good. The cruise ship season at the ports of Palamós and Roses closed with 58 stopovers and 53,000 passengers, 1% more than last year. Cruise ship activity had an estimated economic impact of €5.1 million in the region.
