Spain’s Changing Travel and Dining Trends in 2025: What to Expect on Your Next Trip

Spaniards’ Shift in Travel and Dining Budgets for 2025

Spaniards are dialing back their expenses on leisure activities such as travel and dining out in 2025, even though tourism remains active across the country. This evolving consumer behavior reflects broader financial mindfulness among local households. Understanding these trends gives travelers and service providers valuable insight into how tourism dynamics might shift in the near future.

Vacation Patterns Are Becoming More Budget-Conscious

Shortened Trips Replace Long Holidays

According to a recent survey conducted by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (CIS), fewer Spaniards are planning extended vacations. Only about 19.3% of Spaniards intend to take vacations longer than two weeks in 2025, marking a drop from 24.7% in 2023. Instead, shorter breaks under one week are becoming increasingly popular, climbing from 12.6% to 17.6%.

The trend also reveals that over 13% are opting to skip vacations or dining out entirely, while roughly 28% maintain a week-long vacation as their sweet spot. Such choices underline a move toward more local, cost-effective leisure, swapping away from lengthy travels toward day outings or simply staying closer to home.

Dining Out Frequency and Spending Takes a Hit

The dining table is also witnessing a squeeze. About 30.5% of people visit restaurants two to three times each month, while 29.1% dine out more frequently at over three times per month. However, 20.5% take the more frugal route, dining out just once monthly.

The majority spend less than €30 per meal—55.7% fall into this category—while splurges above €70 are scarce, at less than 2%. These figures align with data from reservation platforms showing average Spanish diner expenditure is around €27 per meal, trailing only slightly behind tourists who spend approximately €31. Key periods for restaurant visits are the weekends in late July and the extended holiday around mid-August’s Assumption Day.

Domestic Travel: Coastal Destinations and Local Flavors Remain Popular

Sun, Sea, and Culture Draw Domestic Visitors

Coastal locations continue to capture the hearts of over half the domestic travel crowd, with 37.5% choosing seaside towns and 24.8% favoring coastal cities. However, cultural tourism also holds strong appeal, drawing nearly 40%, followed by nature and rural tourism trailing close behind.

Regarding accommodations, hotels and aparthotels remain the preferred choice for 43.8% of travellers, while 14.4% stay with family or friends, and 13.1% pick short-term rentals or tourist apartments—reflecting diverse tastes and budgets across holidaymakers.

Social Dining on Holiday: Budgeting Meets Social Needs

Holiday dining continues to serve as an important social connector, despite tighter budgets. Over half (51.7%) of respondents value eating out on vacation for the social experience it provides. Patterns show 27% dine out two to three times a week, 25.3% more than three times weekly, and 22% enjoy daily meals out. Conversely, a small segment either abstains from dining out on holidays (8.8%) or restricts it to once a week (16%). The enjoyment of food and its perceived health benefits play a key role in these habits.

Key Figures at a Glance

Implications for Taxi and Transfer Services

These shifts in how Spaniards plan travel and dining also ripple into transport choices. Shorter vacations with more local or coastal destinations suggest a sustained demand for efficient, flexible taxi and transfer services. Platforms like LocalsRide.com allow travelers to pre-book vehicles — from private sedans to multi-seaters — tailored exactly to their needs, whether heading to the airport, a coastal getaway, or a city center restaurant. The ability to view full vehicle details and driver ratings beforehand creates peace of mind, especially important when budgets are tight and transparency in fares is valued.

The Social and Economic Angle

Despite cautious spending, dining out on holidays remains a key social experience, revealing that leisure habits adapt but do not disappear. This adaptability also surfaces in travel and transport, where people seek affordable, trustworthy mobility solutions. Whether for business or leisure, knowing your ride is booked at the best price and with the right vehicle from trusted providers matters more than ever.

The Takeaway

In 2025, Spaniards’ travel and dining habits are being reshaped by financial prudence without abandoning the desire for social connection and cultural experiences. Shorter holidays, more modest dining budgets, and a preference for coastal and cultural destinations outline a smarter approach to leisure, reflecting a broader trend toward value and convenience in travel.

Platforms like LocalsRide.com are well-equipped to support this new reality, offering an expansive choice of vehicles with exact price transparency and driver information — a vital resource for navigating the evolving tourism landscape with confidence and ease.

Final Thoughts: Experience Beats Reviews

While surveys and reviews offer a snapshot of changing trends, there’s nothing quite like firsthand experience to truly feel the pulse of Spain’s travel and dining scene. On LocalsRide, users can hire cars with drivers from verified companies at fair prices, empowering smarter, more personalized travel decisions without breaking the bank or facing unwanted surprises. The platform’s wide range of vehicles and extra options provide flexibility that’s hard to beat, catering perfectly to a spectrum of travel and transfer needs.

Book your Ride with LocalsRide.com to enjoy convenience, affordability, and transparency on your next trip.

Looking Ahead for Tourism and Transfers

Although Spain’s cutback in travel and dining expenses may not drastically shift the global tourism map, it provides useful insight into evolving consumer behavior. The trend toward shorter, more budget-conscious vacations may stimulate demand for local and regional transfers more than long-distance journeys. For an industry attentive to rider preferences and price sensitivity, keeping pace with these developments is crucial. LocalsRide is committed to staying ahead, offering seamless transfer bookings worldwide and catering to shifting traveler expectations. Start planning your next adventure and secure your worldwide transfer with LocalsRide.

Summary

The latest Spanish tourism and gastronomy survey uncovers a noticeable tightening of travel and dining budgets for 2025. Fewer long holidays and shorter trips dominate, with a significant share of the population scaling back or skipping travel and eating out. Coastal destinations and cultural tourism remain favorites, paired with a trend toward modest restaurant spending that balances enjoyment with economy.

These evolving preferences directly influence the transport and transfer sector, highlighting the value of transparent, customizable taxi and transfer services that match travelers’ needs closely. LocalsRide.com responds to this demand by offering an easy-to-use platform enabling travelers to choose suitable vehicles, compare prices, and book rides with verified drivers reliably. Whether heading to the airport, a city landmark, or a resort getaway, LocalsRide makes it simple to get there on time and on budget.