Why Chinese tourists want to travel to Spain? (2024 update)

Spain is one of Europe’s great opportunities in Chinese outbound tourism, and most Spanish businesses are still barely scratching the surface of it. The number of Chinese visitors to Spain grew 420% in the first half of 2023 compared to the year before. In 2024, that momentum continued. Culture, gastronomy, shopping, and art: Spain has what Chinese travelers want. The question is whether you are visible to them on the platforms they actually use.

Why Chinese tourists want to visit Spain

• History and architecture. Chinese tourists who travel to Europe are not looking for a beach holiday. They want depth. Spain’s cathedrals, Moorish palaces, medieval villages, and Gaudi’s extraordinary Barcelona architecture deliver exactly that. The Sagrada Familia and the Alhambra consistently appear in Chinese travel guides as must-see European landmarks.
• Art and culture. Picasso, Dali, Velazquez, Goya: these names carry real weight with educated Chinese travelers. Spanish museums are visited not just as tourist boxes to tick but as genuine cultural experiences. Chinese visitors in Spain stay an average of 11 days, longer than in any other European country. That says a lot about how much there is to do.
• Food. Paella resonates with Chinese eaters because of its rice base and communal serving style. Spanish tapas culture, with small plates and variety, fits naturally with Chinese dining habits. Wine tourism in Rioja and Ribera del Duero is also growing among more experienced Chinese travelers.
• Luxury shopping at better prices. European luxury goods are 20-30% cheaper in Spain than in China. Chinese tourists know this. Around 82% of Chinese travelers include shopping as a main activity on international trips, and Barcelona and Madrid both offer world-class luxury retail districts.
• Flamenco and unique experiences. Chinese travelers are drawn to the spectacular. Flamenco shows, bullfighting (for those curious about tradition), and the general expressiveness of Spanish culture create memorable moments that are highly shareable on Xiaohongshu and Douyin.

Key data on Chinese tourists in Spain 2024-2025

Chinese visitors to Spain spent an average of 2,040 euros per capita during their stay, above the European tourist average. Catalonia and Madrid are the top two destinations. Beijing and Shanghai are the main departure cities, with Guangzhou and Chengdu growing fast.

According to data from the China National Tourism Administration, Chinese outbound tourists spent over 200 billion USD internationally in 2024. Europe captured a meaningful share of this, with Spain gaining ground thanks to direct Air China and Iberia routes between Beijing, Shanghai, and Madrid.

On Mafengwo, Spain has a strong presence in European destination searches, with Barcelona ranking in the top 5 European cities for Chinese travel searches throughout 2024. User reviews mention Gaudi’s architecture, Mercado de la Boqueria, and the Prado museum as highlights.

Barcelona leads the way on Chinese digital payments

Barcelona has moved faster than any other Spanish city on Chinese payment integration. Through a partnership between the Barcelona Commerce retailers association and Starpay, over 80 boutiques now accept WeChat Pay and Alipay, with UnionPay widely available across major retail areas. This removes a real friction point: Chinese tourists are not comfortable with cash, and many do not use international credit cards.

The approach works. Store managers across Barcelona report that Chinese customers make more spontaneous purchases when familiar payment methods are available. Plans are underway to expand this to Madrid.

How to reach Chinese tourists planning a Spain trip

Chinese tourists do not use Google, TripAdvisor, or Instagram to plan their trips. They use Mafengwo for destination research, Ctrip for bookings, Douyin for inspiration, Xiaohongshu for reviews, and Baidu for initial searches. Your strategy needs to cover all five:

• Mafengwo: create an official listing and encourage guests to leave detailed reviews. Content on Mafengwo ranks well on Baidu.
• Ctrip: the biggest Chinese OTA. List your hotel, tour, or experience with high-quality Mandarin descriptions and real photos. Over 70% of Chinese outbound bookings happen on OTA platforms.
• Douyin: post short videos of Spain. Flamenco footage, sunrise at Sagrada Familia, and paella preparation all perform well. See our Douyin marketing services.
• Xiaohongshu (RED): build a verified brand presence and work with micro-KOLs who have visited Spain. See our Xiaohongshu marketing services.
• Baidu SEO: rank for Spain travel terms in Mandarin. Your site needs to load inside China and carry proper Mandarin content optimized for Baidu’s algorithm.

What Chinese tourists need in Spain

• Mandarin-speaking staff in hotels and key attractions
• Electric kettle and tea in hotel rooms
• UnionPay, Alipay, or WeChat Pay accepted
• Strong WiFi throughout (they share travel content in real time)
• Chinese-language menus at restaurants, even just a one-page version

Why Your Chinese Digital Presence Matters

A Spanish hotel, tour operator, or retailer that is invisible on Chinese platforms will not attract Chinese tourists regardless of how attractive the destination is. Here is the full picture of what you need:

• Chinese website with ICP license, hosted on Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud: loads fast in China, ranks on Baidu.
• Douyin: main discovery channel today for destinations. Spain’s visual beauty is a natural fit.
• Xiaohongshu (XHS/RED): trust-building. Reviews and user content here convert planners into bookers.
• Baidu SEO + PPC: rank for Spanish travel terms in Mandarin.
• WeChat: loyalty and direct communication with guests. See our WeChat marketing services.

Our Chinese digital marketing agency specializes in helping European tourism businesses build this full presence.

FAQ: Chinese tourists in Spain

How many Chinese tourists visit Spain each year?

Spanish tourist board data shows Chinese arrivals grew 420% in the first half of 2023 versus the year before, as travel normalized post-pandemic. By 2024, numbers were approaching and in some months exceeding the 2019 record of around 649,000 annual visitors. Chinese tourists still represent a small percentage of total Spanish arrivals, which means the growth potential is enormous. The segment that does arrive spends significantly above average.

Do Chinese tourists need a visa for Spain?

Chinese citizens need a Schengen visa to visit Spain. This is a real barrier compared to visa-free destinations like the UAE or Japan (which introduced visa-free access for Chinese in 2024). Spain’s tourism authorities and the EU are in ongoing discussions about simplifying the process. In the meantime, tour operators offering visa assistance services gain a real competitive edge with Chinese travelers who find the Schengen process daunting.

What do Chinese tourists like most about Spain?

Based on Mafengwo reviews and Xiaohongshu posts, the top attractions for Chinese visitors in Spain are: Sagrada Familia and Park Guell in Barcelona, the Alhambra in Granada, Flamenco shows in Seville, the Prado museum in Madrid, and paella in Valencia. Shopping in Madrid’s luxury districts and Barcelona’s boutiques is also consistently mentioned. The combination of art, food, history, and shopping in a single destination is rare and genuinely exciting for Chinese travelers.

What is the best platform to market a Spain tourism business to Chinese travelers?

There is no single best platform. You need all five layers: Douyin for video discovery, Xiaohongshu for trust-building reviews, Mafengwo for destination research, Ctrip for bookings, and Baidu for search. Most tourism businesses in Spain start with one or two platforms and expand from there. If you have limited budget, start with Xiaohongshu and Baidu SEO, as those two have the strongest conversion rates for European destinations. Our services page explains how we structure these campaigns.

Spain is ready for Chinese tourism. Are you?

The Chinese travelers who visit Spain today are among the highest-spending tourists in the country. They stay longer, they shop more, and they share their experiences on platforms that reach hundreds of millions of potential future visitors. Investing in Chinese digital marketing for a Spain-based tourism business is one of the clearest growth moves available right now.

Start here: see our full range of services.

Marcus Zhan is a digital strategist at CTA with over 10 years of experience helping international brands grow in China. He specializes in Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Chinese SEO.