What is being said in Spain about the Spanish economy?
The slowdown in tourism and the end of European funding point to a slowdown in the economy. The ABC newspaper article, taken from Liturri's review, is excerpted.
(ABC, Bruno Pérez, 05 January 2026)
The Spanish economy is heading for a soft landing after years of exceptional post-pandemic growth, driven by tourism, immigration, and EU funds. GDP will grow by around 2-2.2% in 2026, but will lose momentum due to the slowdown in tourism, the depletion of European funds, and lower immigration. Analysts predict a gradual slowdown toward structural potential, with risks posed by geopolitical instability (Trump), internal political blockades, and global competition. Tourism, while robust, is showing signs of saturation in some areas.
1. The author describes the consensus on moderate growth prospects for the current year:
The Spanish economy is facing what the vast majority of analysts and international organizations are predicting will be a soft landing following the unusual growth figures of recent years. Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo has already announced that the significant inertia of the last two quarters will mean Spain will begin 2026 with assured growth of 2%.
2. The transition to a new, less accelerated economic phase is highlighted:
"2026 will mark the beginning of a new era. The Spanish economy will leave behind the accelerated post-pandemic growth, spurred by the unexpected boom in international tourism, the even more unexpected massive influx of immigrants, and the influx of fresh money from the European Recovery and Resilience Mechanism funds."
3. The article reports the signs of deceleration identified by an economic institute:
The Institute of Economic Studies (IEE) has anticipated that the first signs of a "gentle deceleration and loss of intensity" have already begun to be seen in the main tailwinds that the Spanish economy has enjoyed in recent months.
4. External and internal threats to maintaining growth are highlighted:
Trump's unpredictable foreign policy, international instability, and political deadlock are the greatest threats. The slowdown in tourism and the end of European funding are likely to slow Spain's robust growth.
5. Analysts predict a return to the economy's structural potential:
"Once that stimulus is lost, slowed, or exhausted, analysts predict a gradual decline in the Spanish economy's growth rate toward its true potential. Between 2026 and 2027, we will see whether the Spanish economy is truly capable of maintaining a sustainable growth rate without external assistance."
(Excerpt from Giuseppe Liturri's newsletter )
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/economia/rallentamento-economia-spagna/ on Sat, 10 Jan 2026 07:02:15 +0000.