Tourist Office of Spain Caps Successful 2025 at Toronto Event, Presents 2026 Outlook
by Bruce Parkinson
Left to right: Alegria Narvaez, Trade & Travel Manager, Tourist Office of Spain, Isabel Martín Benítez, Consul for Tourism Affairs, Embassy of Spain, Maria Jose Ibañez Silla, Tourist Office of Spain, María Canfran Almiñana, International Tourism Advisor, Tourist Office of Spain.
The Tourist Office of Spain in Canada celebrated an exceptional year for the destination at Toronto’s Portland Square Social Club last night.
Joined by members of Canada’s travel and lifestyle media, the Spanish delegation reviewed the country’s inspiring growth with Canadian travellers in 2025 and provided a sneak peek at the initiatives planned for 2026 and beyond.
“As Canadian travellers continue to change their preferences and embrace new destinations, there’s no question that Spain’s mix of climate, history, cultural diversity, and gastronomy is creating greater connectivity between our two countries,” noted Isabel Martín Benítez, Director of The Tourist Office of Spain
“2025 saw Canadians choose to stay 2 extra days (8 vs 6) in Spain compared to 2024, and arrival numbers in May and July of 2025 eclipsed even the peaks of 2024. As we look ahead to 2026, we see this momentum and friendship continuing to grow.”
Spain enjoyed the largest increase in tourist arrivals in the first five months of 2025 over 2024, compared to other leading European destinations. Offering Canadian travellers credit for this success, the Tourist Office was proud to highlight the launches of direct flights from carriers such as WestJet and Air Transat, boosting Canadian access to Spain through major gateways like Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Halifax.
2025 also proved to be a banner year for Tourist Office activity in the Canadian market, with organized press trips through surging regions like Galicia, Andalucia, and Valencia, the success of the ACTA conference, and the Canadian debut of the sustainability-focused Spain Talks series.
Looking ahead to 2026, Martín Benítez stated that Canadians should expect the relationship with Spain to grow even stronger.
The Director unveiled plans to better position Spain as a winter destination, shine a light on authentic experiences in the Canary Islands, Basque Country, and Galicia, and collaborate on a host of new fam trips.
Canadians will once again feel the presence of the Tourist Office in-market through activations for World Tapas Day, the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Spain Tourism Summit in Montreal and expanded flight promotions. Finally, a trio of new direct flights are also on track to launch in 2026, including:
● Montreal to Palma de Mallorca, from Air Canada
● Halifax to Madrid, from WestJet
● Toronto to Madrid, via Iberia
You can learn more about Spain here.
