Spain to be world’s top tourist destination by 2040 – but smart visitors are buying homes there now

A new study by Google and Deloitte has used predictive modelling to look at the tourist flows of the future. The NextGen Travelers and Destinations report flags Spain as becoming the world’s top tourist destination by 2040, with an anticipated 110 million arrivals per year. The change would mean Spain overtaking France (currently in pole position) as the world’s most visited country.

According to Taylor Wimpey España, Spain’s growing popularity is not something that is lost on savvy second home buyers. Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director at the leading Spanish home builder, observes:

“Many of those who buy homes with us are doing so with one eye fixed firmly on the future. They’re thinking of family holidays and treasured moments right now, but also looking ahead to retirement planning and growing their wealth through property.”

Britons are already the leading group of international homebuyers in Spain, followed by Germans. In total, foreigners accounted for 14% of all property sales during the first quarter of 2024, according to the Spanish registrars’ body, the Colegio Registradores.

The latest Colegio Registradores report also reveals that the number of newly constructed homes that were sold during January to March 2024 increased sharply – up 30.1% quarterly. Taylor Wimpey España’s Marc Pritchard comments:

“Buyers are increasingly aware of the benefits of buying newly built homes when it comes to sustainability and ongoing cost efficiencies. Buying new can help reduce their carbon footprint while also keeping energy costs down. Our range of A and B rated homes are attracting keen interest from buyers with this future focus in mind.”

For buyers keen to get ahead of the trend and snap up homes in Spain now, Taylor Wimpey España is offering a selection of new properties built to high sustainability standards and ready to move into this year.

Boasting an A rating for their energy efficiency, homes at Almazara Hills in Istán, Malaga, are ideally positioned for enjoying the exceptional natural beauty of the local area. Surrounded by 100-year-old forests and offering panoramic views of Marbella Bay and the great Istán reservoir, the homes nestle on the mountainous slopes of La Concha, close to the Sierra Blanca Country Club resort in the Sierra de las Nieves. Key-ready homes include light-filled apartments with two or three bedrooms, large terraces and a lovely communal pool. Penthouses with impressive solariums for enjoying the spectacular views are also available. Prices at Almazara Hills start from €520,000 plus VAT.


Penthouse living is also available at Marbella Lake in Nueva Andalucía, Marbella. Just five kilometres from Puerto Banús, the spacious homes are set amidst carefully landscaped gardens with four communal pools. Interiors blend Boho Chic and Country Chic aesthetic concepts, balancing natural materials and colours with the beauty of the local scenery. Prices start from €950,000 plus VAT.

On the island of Mallorca, priced from €450,000 plus VAT, one final penthouse remains available for sale at Es Balcó in Ses Salines. This typical Mallorcan village on the island’s south coast offers an idyllic escape from everyday life. The penthouse provides a bright, open plan kitchen, dining and living area, two good-sized bedrooms and an enormous solarium terrace with space to dine, lounge and enjoy views that stretch across the sea all the way to the island of Cabrera.

Also on Mallorca and with just one apartment left for sale is Canyamel Pins. Just 400m from the beach and 600m from Canyamel Golf Course, the three-bedroom home is ideal for families seeking a balanced blend of relaxation and activity during their holidays. The development includes a large communal pool surrounded by greenery. Priced from €675,000, the apartment is ready to move into now.