Tourism continues to drive Andalucia's economy as job openings grow by 50%

ANDALUCIA’S tourism sector is experiencing a significant upswing, with employment increasing by 50% in recent months, signaling a potentially record-breaking summer season.

This surge underscores the region’s growing reliance on tourism as a key economic driver.

Andalucía led Spain in tourism-related employment growth in January 2025, adding 13,671 new jobs – a 4.8% increase compared to the previous year.

This growth brought the total number of tourism workers in the region to 299,160, accounting for 17.2% of the national total.

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The upward trend continued into December 2024, with Andalucía again leading the nation by adding 12,943 tourism jobs, marking a 4.3% year-over-year increase.

By the end of 2024, the region had 312,081 individuals employed in the sector.

Overall, Andalucía closed 2024 with 451,488 people employed in tourism, representing an 11.9% increase from 2023.

This figure includes 372,147 salaried employees and 79,341 self-employed workers.

Nationally, the tourism sector employed 2,936,697 individuals, a 9.7% rise from the previous year.

Arturo Bernal, the regional Minister of Tourism, emphasized the sector’s significance, stating that tourism is the ‘primary employment engine’ for Andalucía.

He highlighted that the region has achieved its lowest unemployment rate in 17 years, with nearly half a million people working in tourism.

Bernal also praised the dedication of these workers, referring to them as ‘our best ambassadors’.