Cultural and gastronomic experiences lead demand among American travellers, according to the report Mapping Activities and Experiences Supply and Demand in Spain*, which also highlights the high level of satisfaction these tourists express regarding the leisure activities they enjoy during their visits to Spanish destinations.

The study, prepared by Mabrian, the global travel intelligence and tourism advisory partner, analyses the supply of tourist activities and experiences in Spain and the interests of demand for these types of products, leveraging data from Civitatis and GetYourGuide, the main online experiences sites. The analysis considered both the domestic market and five key international markets: the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, and the United States.

“American travellers, who tend to take longer trips and visit multiple destinations, are key to the experiences market in Spanish destinations,” says Carlos Cendra, Partner and Marketing and Communications Director at Mabrian. “Understanding their preferences and expectations will help develop a more attractive and rewarding offer for this strategic source market, ultimately increasing spending in an area of travel that directly impacts the local economies of the destinations.”

From the perspective of traveller profile, the structure of American demand for activities and experiences is broadly similar to the national average. The main segments of American travellers booking activities and excursions during their visits to Spain are families (35.1% of the total), slightly ahead of couples (34%).

Groups represent 16.1% of demand, and solo travellers account for 14.8%, almost five percentage points above the national average. This trend opens opportunities for specialisation, enabling destinations to “design more specific and personalised experiences for this type of tourist,” Cendra adds.

Wellness Activities: A Highly Valued Niche for US Travellers

The report shows that, when choosing activities or plans while in Spain, Americans prioritise those that allow them to discover, enjoy, and explore the Spanish cultural offerings. In fact, six out of every ten experiences booked by American tourists in Spain are culture-focused—a higher proportion than that seen in other traditional markets such as Germany, the UK, or France.

Following nature-based activities (18.1% of total demand), gastronomic experiences (11.4%) rank among the favourites of American travellers, especially those linked to dining and wine. Moreover, US visitors who engage in culinary activities rate them highly, above other major international markets of European origin.

The excellent ratings that American visitors give to Spain’s experience offerings are another standout finding of the study: their satisfaction level (9.5 out of 10) exceeds the overall average for all activities and experiences in the country (9.3). The most satisfying experiences for Americans are gastronomic and wellness activities (9.7), followed by sunbathing, active tourism, and cultural activities (9.4), and family-friendly plans (9.3).

Notably, wellness activities—although still a marginal offering and representing a niche segment among American tourists—achieve very high satisfaction scores (9.7 out of 10). “Travellers seeking wellness experiences are a particularly interesting segment because they tend to have higher purchasing power and choose more diverse and generally longer itineraries, which represents an opportunity, for instance, for inland tourism,” notes the Mabrian expert, part of The Data Appeal Company-Almawave Group.

* Mapping Activities and Experiences Supply and Demand in Spain is the first study to provide a comprehensive analysis of the online market for tourist activities in Spain. For this report (available for free download), Mabrian examined supply and demand trends for experiences marketed through major online activity platforms (Civitatis and GetYourGuide) across Spain’s 17 autonomous communities, using data from June, July, and August 2025.

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Congxiao

Editor Ⅱ: Bao Gang

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong