The Spanish tourism sector has started the year with promising data, as reported in the latest report on Social Security affiliates. In January, the number of employees linked to tourism activities rose by 104,437, reaching a total of 2.62 million affiliates. This 4.1% increase compared to the same month last year stands in sharp contrast to the overall labor market’s growth of 2.3%. Currently, tourism represents 12.5% of the total affiliates in Spain.

The increase in affiliates has been recorded across all branches of the tourism sector. In hospitality, an increase of 57,513 workers was noted, divided among 16,652 in accommodation services and 40,861 in food and beverage services. Travel agencies also saw growth, adding 2,821 new employees, while other tourism activities contributed an additional 44,103 workers.

Wage employment in the tourism sector is also showing a positive trend, with a 4.9% rise in January, representing 81.1% of the total workers in this sector. By branches, wage employment grew 4.4% in hospitality and 3.9% in travel agencies and operators, with a notable increase of 6.1% in accommodation services. Self-employment in tourism, accounting for 18.9% of the total affiliates, has also increased, albeit at a more moderate rate of 1.2%. In the case of travel agencies, the year-on-year increase of self-employed workers stands at 5.5%.

Andalusia leads the employment growth in the sector, with an increase of 13,671 workers, translating into an annual variation rate of 4.8%. Other regions with significant absolute figures include Catalonia (7,812 more workers), Community of Madrid (7,787), and the Canary Islands (7,734). These results reflect the recovery and dynamism of the tourism sector in Spain, promising a bright year ahead for the industry.