Up to November, the Canary Islands welcomed a total of 12,701,360 international visitors, a notable 12.4% increase compared to the same period the previous year. This figure represents 14.4% of Spain’s overall international passenger numbers, as per the latest data from Turespaña released on Monday.
In November alone, international visitor numbers to the islands reached 1,347,745, showing a 10.3% rise from the previous year’s figure for the same month.
Breaking it down by airport, Tenerife South experienced the most significant growth, with 5,003,884 passengers (up 13.9%), followed by Gran Canaria with 3,277,840 (up 13.5%), Lanzarote with 2,444,353 (up 12.6%), and Fuerteventura, which saw 1,879,540 international visitors (an increase of 8.7%).
Overall, during the first eleven months of the year, budget airlines carried 7,644,096 passengers, a 16.8% rise, while traditional carriers transported 5,057,264 international passengers, up by 6.4%.
Spain as a whole saw more than 88.4 million international passengers up to November, an 18.2% increase from the same period last year and just 0.1% below the figures from 2019.
Jordi Hereu, the Minister of Industry and Tourism, highlighted the importance of this growth outside the traditional high season, noting it as positive news for the diversification and deseasonalisation of Spanish tourism. He pointed out that more regions are seeing increased tourist flows outside of summer.
In November, Spain welcomed 6.2 million passengers from international airports, a 15.8% increase from November 2022, with growth observed across all source markets, notably from Italy and the United States, each growing over 20%.
Turespaña’s data revealed that the UK was the largest source of these visitors, accounting for 1.2 million or 19.5% of Spain’s total international arrivals in November, marking a 14.1% year-on-year increase. The Canary Islands were a primary destination, attracting 40% of British-origin passengers.
Germany contributed nearly 800,000 passengers in November (12.8% of the total), a 15% increase, with 37% heading to the Canary Islands. Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Community of Madrid collectively attracted 46% of German-origin arrivals.
Italy, accounting for 10.2% of Spain’s November passenger influx (630,018 passengers), saw a 24.8% year-on-year increase, benefiting Catalonia and Madrid. The Basque Country and Asturias experienced over 100% growth, attracting 7,000 and 3,000 passengers respectively from Italy.
France, making up 7.4% of November’s total, saw a 9.5% rise, favouring Madrid (33.6% of arrivals). Catalonia and the Basque Country experienced over 15% growth in French-origin visitors.
The Netherlands, representing 5% of total arrivals, saw a 12.2% increase in November, primarily heading to Catalonia and the Valencian Community, which together received 43.1% of Dutch visitors.
Notably, Andalusia and the Balearic Islands saw the most significant increases in November, with 25.2% and 25% growth respectively.
In November, 58% of the total passenger numbers came from the European Union, a 17.5% increase, while the remaining 42% from the rest of the world grew by 13.5%.
Madrid-Barajas led airport arrivals in November with 1.7 million, followed by Barcelona with 1.3 million, and Malaga with 544,000. Malaga airport experienced the highest year-on-year increase at 27.1%, followed by Palma at 26.2%.
From January to November, Valencia, Barcelona, and Madrid airports recorded the highest increases in arrivals, at 27%, 23%, and 21.7% respectively, according to Turespaña’s data.
