2026-04-03 20:52 Last Updated At：21:57. Spain tourism surges as Europeans opt for safer holidays amid Middle East conflict
Spain is seeing a surge in European tourists as conflict in the Middle East prompts travelers to opt for closer and safer destinations.
With Easter holiday underway, Palma de Mallorca airport has been packed with visitors who abandoned plans for trips eastward. Hostilities triggered by Israeli‑U.S. strikes on Iran have forced major airports across the Middle East to cancel or delay flights, severely disrupting aviation and tourism in the region.
"We were thinking about going to Dubai, but because of the war, there was no option, so we came here to Mallorca," said a traveler named Michelle, who works as a kindergarten teacher.
"We thought about going to Thailand, but I see the flights were disrupted and they said there were drones and things like that, so we thought Spain may be a safer option," another traveler Ross McGrego said.
"The situation in the Middle East is a little bit too unstable for my holiday plans," said traveler Rose Danaher, a rabies specialist nurse with the UK Health Services Agency.
The influx has brought new opportunities for local businesses. Local restaurant owner in Mallorca Victoria Amoros opened her second restaurant just days ago.
"50,000 people extra are flying to Mallorca. These people were supposed to fly to the Middle East and they are rerouted to Mallorca. I don't know how we are going to handle that, but we will receive them with love," said Amoros, owner of La Malvasia Restaurant Chain.
Chris Pomeroy, the global head of tourism of international communications group Hopscotch said people all over the world are choosing to holiday closer to home.
"So, 14 percent of international travel goes through the Middle East, it's a connectivity issue. So, when these bridges are down, the logical effect is that people will stay in their hemisphere. We say in tourism that when in times of conflict, investors turn to gold, and in times of conflict, tour operators turn to Spain," he said.
Spain welcomed a record 97 million foreign tourists in 2025, and industry experts say the figure could surpass 100 million this year. With Middle East routes disrupted, Spain's role as Europe's fallback destination is set to grow even further.
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The Balearic capital of Palma de Mallorca has secured its place among the world’s best cities for walking tours, highlighting its growing appeal as a destination best experienced on foot. Ranked 75th globally, the city stands out as one of Spain’s most attractive locations for pedestrian-friendly travel.
The list, compiled by the travel platform Freetour.com, draws on extensive traveller data, including bookings, reviews and completed tour routes. The result reflects real visitor behaviour rather than editorial opinion, offering a snapshot of where tourists are actively choosing to explore on foot.
Why Palma continues to climb
Palma’s inclusion is no accident. The city’s compact layout, historic architecture and year-round mild climate make it ideal for walking. From the Gothic grandeur of its cathedral to the maze-like streets of the old town, everything sits within easy reach, encouraging visitors to slow down and explore.
Majorca Direct quiere darle la bienvenida en nuestro puesto de exhibición en The Luxury Travel Fair a Londres del 2 al 5 de noviembre 2017
Estaremos encantados de verle en el show y ayudarle a obtener lo mejor de nuestro conocimiento local y conexiones en Mallorca
Nos encantaría hablar con usted y demostrar nuestra gama de villas de vacaciones, apartamentos, fincas y apart-hoteles que actualmente ofrecemos en algunos de los destinos turísticos más increíbles de Mallorca.
Conozca a nuestros expertos de viajes en nuestro puesto de exhibición que estará encantado de ofrecerle consejos de viaje, recomendaciones, actividades, aventura y diversión que puede obtener en su próximo viaje a Mallorca
Para más detalles sobre el espectáculo y las direcciones por favor haga clic en el banner de abajo...
Majorca Direct would like to welcome you at our stand E113 at the Destinations Show London from the 2nd -5th February 2017
We would be delighted to see you at the show and help you get the best of our local knowledge and connections in Majorca
We would love to speak to you and demonstrate our range of hand picked rental holiday villas, apartments, fincas & apart-hotels we are currently offering in some of the most amazing holiday destinations in Majorca.
Meet our travel experts at our stand who will be delighted to provide you insider travel tips, recommendations, activities, adventure & fun you can get up to on your next trip to Majorca
For more details about the show and directions please click on the banner below…
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