Sitges is solidifying its appeal as a leisure and holiday tourist destination among international tourists, who are staying in town longer. This is confirmed by the 2024 Report on Profiles and Habits of Tourists in Sitges drawn up by LAB Turisme of the Provincial Council of Barcelona in conjunction with the Tourism Council of Sitges City Council. The average stay per visitor rose to 5.7 nights, compared to 5.2 nights the previous year, and total spending per person climbed to €1,203, a 51% increase over 2021 and even higher than the post-pandemic peak in 2022.

A full 71.3% of visitors come from outside Spain. The main international markets have remained the same, with the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States in the lead. The repeat rate dropped from 66% to 57.8%, which points to more first-time visits.

The report also highlights that almost 90% of the tourists get around Sitges walking during their stay, which reinforces the perception of the town as a convenient, safe and accessible destination where the experience of walking through its streets and along its seafront is part of its main appeal.

The aspects rated the most highly by tourists are safety, the friendliness of the people, the natural environment, the restaurants and the beaches. The city's cleanliness, food and accommodation also earn high scores. In fact, all these areas score higher than 8 out of 10. However, parking remains the weakest point, with an average rating of 6.5 points.

The study poses the challenge of increasing tourists’ discovery of the nearby region, given that 71%never leave town and when they do it is mainly on occasional outings to Barcelona.

Collecting and analysing these data enable us to understand how tourism is evolving in Sitges. Having up-to-date, reliable information helps to provide a clear picture of the profile of visitors, and this, in turn, allows tourist actions based on objective criteria to be implemented. The ultimate goal is to promote a more sustainable, competitive tourism model that fits both the region and city residents.