Their attacks have never had a noticeable impact on tourism. A travel association official also said ETA's threat would have little impact because European visitors knew Spain well and were unlikely to be deterred. ETA has targeted the tourism industry before. In 1996, a bomb exploded in the airport of resort town Reus in northeastern Spain, injuring 35 tourists. That was part of a series of small bomb attacks in beach towns that year.
Tourism is Spain's biggest industry.
It received more than 48 million foreign visitors last year, making it the world's number three tourist destination after France and the United States. ETA has been linked to about 800 killings since 1968 when it launched its violent campaign for an independent Basque region in northern Spain and southwestern France. Police have hit back, and in recent weeks have arrest dozens of suspected ETA members or supporters. May. During most of its campaign for Basque independence, ETA has typically reduced the levels of violence in the months before elections. The Basque parliament is sharply divided among seven parties, with nationalist parties holding a slight edge over the parties that favour maintaining the Basque region as part of Spain.