The Canary Islands have seen a remarkable increase in both tourist numbers and overnight stays, resulting in a boost to employment and turnover in the region. Data from the Canary Islands Tourism Research Department, a public company under the Ministry of Tourism and Employment of the Canary Islands Government, confirms this trend.
During the first half of the year, the archipelago welcomed 6.5 million tourists in traditional tourist accommodations, marking a 14% rise compared to the same period last year. Notably, foreign tourists experienced a growth of 16.5%, followed by mainlanders at 6.7%, and Canary Island residents at 1.6%. The surge in tourists is not only reflected in their numbers but also in their overnight stays, which have increased by 16.6% compared to the previous year’s first six months.
Councillor for Tourism and Employment, Jessica de León, emphasizes the vital recovery of tourism and aims to ensure that the industry continues to generate more wealth and better job opportunities while preserving the islands’ unique environmental resources sustainably.
The tourism industry’s employment has grown significantly, with a 25.6% increase in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2022, amounting to 267,975 people working in the sector. Social Security enrollment in June rose by 4.3% in the Canary Islands (an additional 35,809 people) compared to the previous year, with higher growth in activities directly related to tourism (hotels and catering, travel agencies, and tour operators) at 7.9%.
Tourism expenditure has also shown impressive improvement, reaching 5,353 million euros in the first quarter, a substantial 50.4% increase compared to the same period last year, although influenced by higher inflation rates. Average daily visitor spending rose to €168.52, a 39.2% increase compared to the first three months of 2019, while spending per trip reached €1,432 (+44.5%).
The councillor underscores that tourism is an integral part of the archipelago’s identity and intends to focus on it not only as a significant economic driver, contributing 33% to GDP and accounting for 36.5% of total employment, but also as a platform to showcase their traditions, unique landscapes, and rich cultural, natural, and gastronomic heritage.
