Madrid winds up its best year yet for tourism and strengthens its international profile for 2025

The city council’s tourism councillor Almudena Maíllo presented Madrid’s tourism figures for 2024—the best year on record—, which is expected to close with an estimated 11.2 million visitors and spending of 16.141 billion EUR by international tourists, 21% more than in 2023. The results bolster the international tourism profile of Madrid, which Euromonitor has named the second-best city destination in the world.

The city council also outlined the guidelines and new features of the department’s strategy for 2025, a year which will involve intelligent destination management to strengthen deseasonalisation and decentralisation, technological innovation, the promotion of Easter week, the launch of Madrid’s Chinatown project in Usera, and calculation and offsetting of the carbon footprint of tourism activities.

In her presentation, Maíllo revealed Madrid’s plans for its stand at FITUR, which will encourage visitors to imagine and discover how the city will be in 2035: dynamic, modern, sustainable and proud of its identity.

International tourism is driving sustainable, high-quality growth

According to projections, Madrid received 11,211,373 visitors in 2024, 5.5% more than in 2023. Overnight stays amounted to 23,297,638, a year-on-year rise of 4.7%, while total spending by international tourists was 16.141 billion EUR, 21% more than in 2023. According to Maíllo, these figures “consolidate a model of sustainable, high-quality growth which makes tourism one of Madrid’s key productive sectors”.

The rise in international tourists, up 8.8% from 2023, and overnight stays by international visitors, up 7.6%, underscores just how important they are: they account for 56% of all tourism in Madrid. The city’s top outbound tourist market is the United States, followed by France, the UK, Mexico, Germany, Portugal and China.

The Asian giant, in particular, was a key player in 2024 with 78.77% more Chinese tourists than the previous year. Maíllo stressed that “Madrid’s strategic targeting of Asian markets is working”. In this regard, the councillor added that “countries like China, Japan and South Korea are essential for Madrid as they’re distinguished by high-impact tourism, thanks to their appreciation for our cultural and leisure offerings, shopping and the city’s vibrant way of life”.

2025, a year for tourism management in Madrid

The tourism councillor unveiled the broad lines envisaged for the sector in 2025. These are based on four pillars called “365 Days in Madrid”, “This is also Madrid”, “[Re]imagining Madrid” and “You and Madrid”, which will respectively develop the areas of deseasonalisation, decentralisation, tourism innovation and experiential travel. The entire strategy is guided by a model of public-private partnership between Madrid City Council, other institutions, and companies and associations which enables the entire sector to be involved in the sustainable development of tourism in the city.

With respect to “365 Days in Madrid”, Maíllo identified some key times at which visitors can discover Madrid throughout the year. These include Easter, which has been put forward for classification as an Asset of Regional Tourist Interest, during the local festivities, Chinese New Year and Christmas, as well as at the start of the city’s musical production season.

With regard to “This is also Madrid”, the city council will promote tourist attractions in districts such as Usera, where the Madrid Chinatown project will be launched after the summer, Carabanchel, a hub for art in the capital, as well as five new culinary tours across the districts. It will also work to showcase the value of Madrid’s quintas de recreo, or former country estates.

In “[Re]imagining Madrid”, a new digital ecosystem—including a new website—will be developed to provide visitors with a customised experience. In addition, Madrid will continue employ EU Next Generation Funds to make the city a more sustainable destination by implementing its programme to calculate and offset the carbon footprint of tourism activities. As well as this, the city will incorporate artificial intelligence following the success of the platform VisitMadridGPT, which received a Smart Travel Award.

Finally, “You and Madrid” will focus on experiential tourism, highlighting major events such as the Formula 1, which will play a central role at Madrid’s FITUR stand; the regular-season NFL game to be held in Madrid; the Mutua Madrid Open and the La Vuelta a España cycling race; music events like summer concerts, as well as the Mad Cool and Tomavistas festivals; and Madrid Unique Destination, the high-impact tourism club with 52 members, including companies and associations, which is set to launch its first initiatives throughout the year.

A FITUR stand to envision the Madrid of tomorrow

Similarly, tourism councillor Almudena Maíllo presented the key developments regarding Madrid’s stand at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), taking place from 22 to 26 January. With space for 250,000 attendees and 156 participating countries, the event is jointly organised by Madrid’s regional and city governments. Located in Hall 9 of IFEMA Madrid, the stand will showcase the Madrid of 2035: a dynamic, modern, sustainable city that takes pride in its identity.

Visitors to the 1,848-square-metre exhibition space will be able to discover the city’s vision for the future, set under a warm sky that will serve as the stand’s main attraction, acting as a point of connection between past, present and future Madrid. The stand will feature immersive experiences, with the Formula 1 enjoying a starring role.