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Spain: Doing business & staying in touch
Doing business in Spain
Business practices in Spain are generally professional but place considerable importance on personal relationships and trust. Initial meetings tend to be formal, with a handshake as the usual greeting. Although two cheek kisses are common in social settings, they are generally reserved for familiar acquaintances rather than first-time business contacts. Professional titles and surnames are appropriate until invited to use first names, although business environments in larger cities and international companies are often less formal.
Appointments should be arranged beforehand, and punctuality is expected in business settings. Meetings may begin with informal conversation before moving on to business matters, and discussions can be lively and expressive. Decisions may take time, particularly in organisations with hierarchical management structures, where senior executives often have the final say.
Spanish is the principal language of business, although English is widely used in multinational companies and sectors with strong international connections. An interpreter may be useful for meetings with smaller local businesses. Business dress is generally smart and professional, with more relaxed styles common in creative and technology industries.
Business lunches are an important part of relationship-building and may last longer than visitors are accustomed to. Lunch is generally taken later than in northern Europe, often between 14:00 and 16:00, while business dinners may begin after 21:00.
Mon to Fri: 09:00 to 18:00, although hours vary by company and industry. Some traditional businesses observe a longer lunch break, typically around 14:00 to 16:00, and remain open later.
Spain has one of the largest economies in the European Union, with services accounting for the greatest share of economic activity. Tourism is particularly important, supporting employment in accommodation, hospitality, transport and retail. Other major service industries include finance, telecommunications, information technology and professional services, while Madrid and Barcelona are the country's principal business and financial centres.
Manufacturing remains an important part of the economy, particularly automotive production, machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food processing. Spain is also a major agricultural producer, known for olive oil, wine, citrus fruits and other fresh produce. Renewable energy has become an increasingly significant sector, with substantial investment in wind and solar power.
Spain's economy is closely integrated with the European Union, which accounts for most of its international trade. The country benefits from extensive transport infrastructure and strong commercial links with Latin America and North Africa. However, unemployment, regional economic disparities, housing affordability and productivity remain important challenges.
Motor vehicles and vehicle components, machinery and electrical equipment, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and refined petroleum products.
Machinery and electrical equipment, mineral fuels and petroleum products, motor vehicles and components, and chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Keeping in Touch in Spain
Spain has extensive mobile phone coverage, with 4G widely available and 5G expanding across cities and major towns. The principal network operators include Movistar, Vodafone, and MasOrange. Coverage can be less reliable in remote mountain areas and sparsely populated regions. Visitors can purchase prepaid SIM cards or eSIMs, while travellers with EU mobile plans can generally use their domestic allowances under EU roaming rules, subject to fair-use conditions. UK visitors should check roaming charges with their provider before travelling.
Wi-Fi is widely available in hotels, cafés, restaurants, shopping centres and many public spaces. Spain also has an extensive fibre-optic broadband network, particularly in cities and larger towns. Public Wi-Fi is available at some airports, railway stations, libraries and tourist information centres, although connection quality varies. Visitors should avoid accessing sensitive information over unsecured public networks.
Spain has a diverse media landscape, with national and regional newspapers, television channels and radio stations. Major newspapers include El País, El Mundo, ABC and La Vanguardia, while RTVE is the national public broadcaster. Private television networks include Antena 3 and Telecinco. Regional media are particularly important in areas such as Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, where local languages are also used in broadcasting and publishing.
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