INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL IS ONE OF SPAIN’S BIGGEST TOURIST MAGNETS – ESPECIALLY FOR THE BRITISH.

It used to be that sun ,sea and sangria were the main reasons for foreigners seeking holidays in Spain. But now it seems that visitors were just as likely to make the trip to watch football matches.

A huge percentage of spectators in 2015 were foreign, just as many, in fact, than those that headed for the beach. South Koreans and British each bought 12% of tickets on slaw for La Liga matches, which accounts for nearly a quarter of fans between them, and adding on the 11% sold to visitors from the USA, these three countries made up over a third of the crowd at key games, say Ticketbis, a booking portal.

Over 30 different nationalities made up the crowds at Spanish games last year, with the League being the most international more any other competition in Europe in terms of its audience.

After the South Koreans, British and Americans, the most tickets were sold to German, Brazilian and French nationals.

In Europe, tourists from the USA made up the highest national group of spectators at British Premier League matches, whilst East and South-East Asians were most prolific at the Bundesliga. And French and Germans were attracted to the Italian league competitions.

In Spain, however, La Liga meant tens of thousands of tourists descending all at one time on Barcelona or Madrid, staying in hotels, dining and drinking out, spending money in shops etc., which meant that the economic impact was spread way beyond the stadium.


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