World's second most visited country among most favorite destinations this year

By Hoang Vu November 12, 2025 | 10:41 pm PT

Locals and tourists sunbathe at Barceloneta Beach in Barcelona, Spain, Aug. 25, 2024. Photo by Reuters

Spain, the world's second most visited country last year after France, ranked fifth in a list of world's most favorite destinations as voted by readers of U.S. magazine Condé Nast Traveler.

It scored 91.96 points out of 100, trailing behind Japan, Greece, Portugal and Italy at this year's Readers' Choice Awards.

Spain, famous for its rich culture, including flamenco music and dance, architecture like the Sagrada Família, and food such as paella and tapas, registered a record 94 million tourists in 2024.

Almost 66.8 million foreign tourists visited Spain in the first eight months of 2025, another record that surpassed last year's equivalent figure by 3.9%.

Tourism is a key driver in Spain but a growing backlash against overtourism has seen protests in the most popular destinations such as Barcelona, the southern coastal city of Malaga as well as the Balearic and Canary Islands, Reuters reported.

More than 757,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers participated in the survey, sharing their opinions on various travel experiences, including cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruise ships, spas, and airlines.

The Readers' Choice Awards, the longest-running accolade in the travel industry, celebrate excellence in hotels, resorts, and destinations around the world.