If lately you feel that it’s impossible to find a place on a terrace, that the metro is more crowded than ever or that you hear more French and German than Catalan in the Born, you’re not crazy. And get ready, because things are (still) going to get even better. Barcelona has just been crowned, once again, as the world’s favorite travel destination in 2025.
We don’t say so, but the annual report ‘A Year in Travel’ of the travel platform eDreams Odigeo, one of the great thermometers of the tourism industry .
Barcelona, at the top of the world podium
Last year Paris took the top spot, but in 2025, and despite protests against tourism, Barcelona once again leads the global ranking, leaving behind heavyweights such as:
- Barcelona
- Paris
- Palma de Mallorca
- Madrid
- London
- Rome
In Spain there are not only three cities in the top 5, but if we look at the top 10, we find a fourth guest: Malaga. In short: four of the ten most desired cities on the planet are in Spain.
And who comes to visit us?
The report also puts a face to our visitors. The French lead the invasion (28%), closely followed by Germans (20%) and Italians (13%). British (7%) and Swiss (5%) complete the top 5 nationalities that visit us the most, choosing mainly Barcelona, Madrid, Palma, Malaga and Ibiza.
The study also reveals where we Spaniards set our sights when we want to escape. And it seems that we are into exchange: our favorite destination for 2025 is Paris.
Of course, we also love the national product and the sun. The Spanish ranking is completed by Palma de Mallorca, Rome, Barcelona itself (because local tourism also exists) and Tenerife.
How we travel: last minute, on short breaks and with AI
What does seem clear is that Spaniards are not big planners. Spontaneity rules: 52% of trips were booked less than a month in advance. We are more “long weekend” than big trips; 40% of our getaways are 3 to 4 days.
But the big revolution is how we plan. Artificial Intelligence has established itself as the new travel guide. An overwhelming 96% of young Spaniards (18-24 years old) rely on AI to organize their adventures.
The report dares to predict the future, and Barcelona is still in the mix. The most booked destinations for 2026 (so far) are Bangkok, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona (in 4th place) and Rome. However, if we look at what people are looking for (pure and simple desire), interest soars towards Asia and North America, with Bangkok, Tokyo and New York leading the travel dreams.