The History of Tourism in Spain: Key Milestones

Posted on Nov 24, 2025 in Tourism Management

Historical Evolution of Tourism in Spain

-1902: The Centre of Tourism Initiatives was established in San Sebastián.
1905: The Comisión Nacional de Turismo was created.
1910: The Ritz Hotel opened in Madrid, and the first travel agency activities began with Banca Marsans Rof e Hijos. Viajes Marsans was officially founded in 1920.
1912: New luxury hotels opened, including the Palace Hotel in Madrid and the Hotel María Cristina in San Sebastián.
1921: CETA (Compañía Española de Tráfico Aéreo) was founded, establishing the first air route from Seville to Larache, a former Spanish protectorate in Morocco.
1925: The dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy accepted the term “turismo.”
1925: UAE (Unión Aérea Española) was founded.
1927: Iberia was founded, with its first route from Madrid to Barcelona.
1928: CETA, UAE, and Iberia merged, resulting in the foundation of CLASSA (Compañía de Líneas Aéreas Subvencionadas S.A.).

Information: Opened Spanish tourist offices abroad and approved regulations for interpreters and tour guides.
Publications: Created brochures in various languages on cities, monuments, and places of interest, as well as tourism promotion posters.
Monuments: Focused on the restoration and listing of historical monuments.
Accommodation Policy:
- Published the official hotel guide.
- Created the title and plaque for “Recommended Hotel.”
- Organized the Hotel Credit System.
- Implemented the official registration of complaints (libro de reclamaciones).
- Developed the Paradores network of state-owned accommodations.

1939: Regulation of hotel accommodation was established.
1942: Regulation of travel agencies was introduced.
1947: Spain received 137,000 visitors.
1948: The first advertising campaigns were launched with the slogan, “Spain is different and beautiful.”
1951: A new period began under the Ministry of Information and Tourism.
1955: Spain was accepted as a full member of the United Nations, ten years after its founding in 1945.

1957: The annual congress of ASTA (American Society of Travel Agencies) took place in Madrid.
1959: A Law-Decree on the New Economic Order was passed.
1962: Manuel Fraga Iribarne was appointed Minister of Information and Tourism.
1963: A comprehensive listing of tourist resources was prepared.
1964: The 1st National Assembly of Tourism was held.
1968: A new hotel classification system using stars was introduced.
1970: The Puerto Banús and Nueva Andalucía resort areas opened in Marbella.
1978: The Spanish Constitution granted autonomous communities the power for the “promotion and regulation of tourism in their territorial scope.” This initiated a process of decentralization, passing responsibilities from the Central Government.

Central Government Initiatives:
- 1990: White Book of Spanish Tourism
- 1992–1995: Spanish Tourism Competitiveness Plan: Futures
- 1996–1999: Competitiveness Plan
- 1997: 3rd National Congress for Tourism
- 2000–2006: Plan for the Quality of Spanish Tourism
- 2007: Spanish Tourism Plan: Horizon 2020
- 2012: National and Comprehensive Plan for Tourism (Plan Nacional e Integral de Turismo)
1981: The first edition of the FITUR International Tourism Fair was held in Madrid.
1982: Spanish artist Joan Miró designed the impactful symbol for Spain’s tourism promotion. Spain became the first national tourism administration to introduce a corporate brand image.
1982: Spain reached 40 million international tourists.
1990: The Spanish Institute of Tourism, Turespaña, was created, replacing the former Institute of Promotion.
1991: Spain joined the Schengen Agreement, creating a borderless European space.
2000: The Spanish Institute for Tourism Quality (ICTE) was founded.