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With summer just around the corner, a new survey from Cetelem Observatory, the consumer finance arm of BNP Paribas – one of Europe’s largest banking groups, known in Spain for its regular reports on household spending – reveals that people living in Andalucía will tighten their holiday purse strings this year. Locals plan to spend an average of €981 on their summer break, down 8% from last year’s €1,060, and 20% below the national average of €1,225.

 

Meanwhile, expenditure by overseas visitors to Spain continues to rise, underscoring the widening gap between rising prices and stagnant local incomes. This contrast mirrors the travel boom by British tourists, who led the record-breaking April arrivals.

 

The Cetelem zOOm “Summer Spending Intentions” study shows that 74% of Andalusians plan to take a summer holiday this year, with those who do expecting to spend around €1,130, shy of the national average of €1,395. Their expected outlay breaks down to €468 on accommodation (versus €579 nationally) and €192 on transport (compared to €234) .

 

Domestic trips within Spainare the preferred choice for 81% of holidaymakers from Andalucía, rather than venturing abroad (12%) or combining trips abroad and within Spain (7%). When it comes to types of holiday, beach time remains top of the list (66%), with rural retreats and city breaks lagging behind at 27% and 18% respectively.

 

As for how they’ll spend their leisure time, some typical choices are emerging. Just over half (51%) expect to dine out, while a third (32%) plan to go to the cinema. Less popular are shopping or sports, and even fewer expect to see a play at the theatre or hit the camp site.

 

That said, 26% of Andalusians say they won’t travel at all this summer. The main reason is financial: 66% say they simply cannot afford it, while 24% want to save money. Rising prices for accommodation and transport were cited by 21% and 9% respectively . Those staying at home expect to spend around €554, less than the national €620, on activities like local sports (44%), dining out (38%) and cinema visits (35%).

 

The survey’s authors note this marks a significant shift from past spending patterns and highlights how many households are now facing tough trade-offs amid high inflation and slow wage growth. Spanish tourism continues to flourish thanks to higher foreign visitor numbers and spending, but regional forecasts show that many people in Andalucía will need to budget more carefully while they enjoy their holidays closer to home.

 

 

Image: Marcin/Pixabay