Madrid: A key destination for business and leisure travel – Part 2

Tourism growth but overtourism below

In February 2025, the city saw 379,430 international travelers making up 51.3% of the total 739,938 visitors, reflecting a 7.8% increase compared to the previous year, based on the information from the Official Tourism Website of Madrid for Media. This increase is part of a broader trend, with a 4.5% growth in overall visitors over the past 12 months, driven by a significant rise in international tourists (+7.8%) compared to the modest growth of 0.7% for domestic tourists.

While the population remains steady, as according to the INE the population of Madrid in 2024 was 7,001,715, this rising influx of visitors, which continues the trend of the past 12 months, puts Madrid’s tourism industry in a strong position but also highlights the appearance of overtourism.

Currently, Madrid does not have a tourist tax, unlike cities such as Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, where the tax has been in place for some time. However,according to Schengern News, in 2023 Madrid considered implementing its own tourist tax. This move, proposed by former Minister of Tourism Reyes Maroto, aimed to help manage the growing influx of visitors and tackle over-tourism. The plan has faced opposition from the Madrid Hotel Business Association, which argued that it could negatively impact both the hospitality sector and tourists.

The idea of introducing a tourist tax in Madrid is closely tied to the growing concerns over overtourism. With a population of around 7 million citizens , Madrid has seen a continuous rise in visitor numbers over recent months. This influx, while boosting the local economy, also brings challenges such as overcrowding and pressure on infrastructure, similar to the issues Barcelona is facing for years.