In recent years, Spain has shown signs of surpassing France in the tourism sector, according to multiple reports. A study by Google predicts that Spain could become the world's leading tourist destination by 2050, with 130 million visitors, compared to 125 million for France. However, the company did not specify the exact date of this overtaking, which some suggest could happen sooner than expected. According to El País, tourism is one of the last areas where France still holds an advantage, but the duration of this lead is uncertain. Spain's tourism sector has seen significant growth, with the country closing its best summer season in history, welcoming 44 million foreign travelers, exceeding government expectations. The country is on track to reach the 100 million tourist mark, with 12.3 million international visitors welcomed just in August. According to El País, Spain is projected to cross the 100 million threshold in 2026. For reference, France recorded 102 million international tourists in 2025. However, growth rates differ between the two countries. While INSEE reports a 1.1% increase in summer stays in France, or 2.8 million additional stays compared to 2025, the momentum is significantly stronger in Spain. In August alone, the number of foreign tourists in Spain increased by 9.2%. In contrast, international travelers in France did not show significant progress during the past summer. At the WTTC Global Champion Award, Jordi Hereu, the Spanish minister of Industry and Tourism, highlighted that Spain recorded $130.1 billion in visitor spending in 2025, the highest level in Europe and the third highest globally. He noted that the sector should grow by 3.7% in 2026, with visitor spending expected to increase by 5.3%. With such growth, Spain could approach or even surpass France by 2027. It is noted, however, that accurately determining the number of foreign travelers for European countries is challenging due to the lack of border controls for European citizens. This makes it harder to track precise visitor numbers, especially for those traveling between member states of the European Union.