HOLIDAYMAKERS travelling to Spain this year spent a total of 7.2 per less than in 2008, statistics have revealed.

The total expenditure of foreign tourists came to 42,637 million euros in the first ten months of the year.

But the average traveller spent 2.4 per cent per head more than last year, suggesting that fewer holidaymakers are coming to Spain but that those who do have not been too badly affected by the recession.

In fact, a fall of 9.3 per cent was seen this year in the number of tourists visiting the country.

Yet the ministry of industry says a total of 46.7 million people from abroad – more than Spain's entire year-round population – spent their holidays in the country in the first ten months of 2009.

The average tourist spent 988 euros whilst on holiday in Spain this year, with the British shelling out the most cash.

Their spending came to 934 million euros in total, with Germans in second place parting with some 832 million euros.

Brits, Germans, French, Scandinavians and Italians continue to represent the most commonly-seen nationalities among tourists in Spain.