The report puts absenteeism at 7% of agreed working hours across the tourism sector, equivalent to 2.6% of industry turnover.
But the national average masks significant regional differences.
The Canary Islands have the highest rate, with 12.1% of working hours lost. Andalusia ranks eighth nationally, with employees absent for the equivalent of 6.6% of agreed working hours.
For Andalusia, the issue has particular significance. Tourism contributes more than 12% of the regional economy and supports more than 480,000 jobs. Exceltur estimates tourism’s contribution to Andalusia’s GDP at 12.9%, with annual economic activity approaching €27.7 billion.
At the other end of the scale, Asturias, Cantabria and Valencia record rates of around 3%.
Exceltur is calling for a national strategy to tackle the issue, which it describes as one of the industry’s key priorities. Proposed measures include simplifying procedures for temporary incapacity, improving coordination between mutual insurance companies and public healthcare services, and introducing stronger workplace prevention and attendance incentives.
The problem extends across the tourism value chain, although its impact varies by business type.
Leisure companies are the hardest hit, with absenteeism equivalent to around 4% of turnover, while accommodation businesses face an impact of about 3%.
Urban destinations are also under greater pressure than coastal resorts. Absenteeism affects 3.3% of working hours in city-based tourism businesses, compared with 2.9% in coastal areas.
The findings come despite strong employment growth in Spanish tourism.
Exceltur reported that the number of people registered as tourism employees increased by 71,045 in June, up 3.1% from June 2025. That growth outpaced the 2.8% increase recorded across other sectors.
Tourism has also regained momentum after a weaker start to the year.
Exceltur said Spain’s appeal as a safe destination amid conflict in the Middle East, combined with unusually high temperatures in several European source markets, helped drive demand during spring and early summer.
Mediterranean destinations recorded some of the strongest revenue growth. The Valencia coast increased by 13.6%, while the Costa del Sol rose 13.2%. The Costa Dorada recorded growth of almost 13%.
Performance was weaker in some southern destinations. Revenue on the Costa Tropical fell by almost 5%, while the Costa de la Luz declined 0.6% and Huelva dropped 0.4%.
The absenteeism problem is not only confined to tourism. Data cited by KPMG and Adecco shows that more than 1.6 million workers are absent from their jobs each day across Spain.
The overall economic cost is estimated at €59.1 billion ($69 billion) annually, equivalent to around 3.7% of Spanish GDP. Absenteeism represents about 7.2% of agreed working hours.
Tags: Spain’s tourism
