From crisis to come back, how Spain turned its economy around.

Live from the UK, this is the Marketplace Morning Report from the BBC World Service.

I'm Leanna Byrne. Good morning.

The European Central Bank is expected to cut interest rates today to give a boost to the Eurozone's sluggish economy.

But one country is already surging ahead. Spain. New data shows

Spain's economy grew 3.2% last year outpacing France, Germany, Italy and the UK. And that's a big

turnaround for a country hit hard by COVID. In fact, the economists just ranked Spain the strongest

performing economy in the world. So what's driving

this comeback? The BBC's Guy Hedgeco has more. In 2024, Spain received a record 94 million

visitors, helping drive GDP growth of over 3%. That's four times the Eurozone average.

I'm in the historic city of Sagovia, which is just north of Madrid, and I'm looking up at the city's

vast, famous Roman aqueduct. And this is a place which has become a very popular tourist destination,

even though it's not associated with the beaches and the coastal resorts,

which have made Spain so popular over the years.

Elena Miron is a tour guide in Segovia.

There was a moment in which when we were along the COVID, I thought that maybe the tourism

will be never, ever, like it used to be before. Things became little by little, much better.

Now things are very good. And I thought this year is going to be also a good year like it was

maybe 2023 and 24.

There are other reasons for Spain to be cheerful too. After a cost of living crisis,

inflation is now under control. And although unemployment is higher than in many neighbouring countries,

it's currently at a 17-year low.

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