Number of foreign tourists to Spain jumps in May as restrictions eased

FILE PHOTO: People walk by an empty terrace bar at Magaluf beach in Mallorca as British tourists are expected to resume travels to the area starting from June 30th, Spain, June 29, 2021. REUTERS/Enrique Calvo

The number of foreign tourists visiting Spain rose to 1.36 million in May, up from virtually zero who came in May 2020 when the country was under a strict lockdown, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said on Friday.

The number of tourists more than doubled from April 2021 as travel restrictions were eased but was still 83% lower than in May 2019, the data showed.

Foreign tourists spent a total 1.39 billion euros ($1.64 billion) in May, 83% less than in the same month in 2019, INE said.

($1 = 0.8458 euros)

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Cristina Galan; Editing by Nathan Allen)