Summary
Highlights
In 1950, over 1,000 American, Norwegian, Belgian, English, and Canadian tourists arrived in Barcelona. They visited iconic sites like the bullring and the Gothic Quarter. Drawn by the good climate, beautiful landscapes, and affordable prices, Spain began to attract more foreign visitors, especially through the French border to areas like San Sebastián. Spain gained a reputation for being hospitable, with the Costa Brava and Mediterranean coast advertised as ideal leisure spots. Initially, tourism was primarily for wealthier Europeans, but by 1955, some Spanish families could afford coastal getaways.
Benidorm, with its beautiful beaches and the Benidorm Song Festival (starting 1959), became a significant European tourist destination, attracting artists, foreign singers, and the upper-middle class. The slogan 'Spain is Different' (España es diferente), coined by the Ministry of Information and Tourism, helped popularize Spanish culture, making tourism a primary economic activity in the 1960s.
1964 marked the 'tourism boom,' with beaches full of people. Barcelona celebrated 'Tourism Day,' and at El Prat airport, authorities welcomed the 11 millionth tourist, a young Englishwoman. The 'Miss Tourism' figure was created, and 'me voy de veraneo' (I'm going on summer vacation) entered common Spanish vocabulary. Alongside modern attractions, traditional events like donkey races (carreras de burros) also persisted.
In 1966, 'paradores nacionales' (state-run hotels in historic buildings) like Aiguablava and Viella opened, offering comfortable facilities in beautiful natural settings. By 1967, mass tourism with large, modern hotels took off, leading to the construction of skyscrapers in areas like La Manga del Mar Menor and along the Mediterranean. Spanish Minister of Tourism Manuel Fraga inaugurated many of these complexes. Spaniards also began taking weekend trips, leading to 'turismo dominical' (Sunday tourism) by the late 1960s, which brought with it 'domingueros' (Sunday trippers) and traffic jams.
By 1969, tourism marketing started using celebrities to promote leisure areas, with singers like Lola Flores seen on the Costa del Sol. In 1970, Puerto Banús in Marbella opened as a luxury marina, attracting millionaires, Arab sheikhs, and the jet set, becoming a glamorous hub for princes, kings, and film stars. The Canary Islands also joined the tourism boom that same year, offering modern thermal centers with natural and healthy amenities, including inhalers for smokers and mineral sand baths for skin conditions.
The enthusiasm for tourism, leisure, sun, and beaches influenced popular music, with songs like Fórmula V's 'Eva María' becoming summer anthems in the 1970s. Over time, going to the beach became a customary summer activity, with few not dedicating some days to coastal getaways. Activities like walks with children or pets, and relaxing on terraces, became common alternatives for leisure time.