International holidaymakers are keeping Spaniards off their own sun-kissed beaches due to ever-rising hotel and rental prices during an unprecedented tourism boom.
Spain's top 25 Mediterranean and Atlantic coast destinations saw local tourism drop by 800,000 people last year whereas foreign visitors rose 1.94 million, according to previously unreported official data reviewed by analysis firm inAtlas.
Aware of the brewing discontent and disparities, Spain's socialist government is encouraging international tourists to explore inland attractions to address overcrowding and diversify.
"If we want to continue to be leaders in international tourism, we have to decentralise our destinations," Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu said at the launch of a first campaign to highlight Spain's lesser-known charms in June.
"We want Europeans and those from other continents to rethink their idea of the Spain they love and visit so much." (Reuters)