The 2024 Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife will be remembered as the most attended edition in recent years, with over one million participants from the start of the competitions on January 18 to Piñata Sunday, February 18.
The month-long celebration resulted in an expenditure of over 5 million euros by the capital’s City Council, generating nearly 39 million euros in economic impact for the city, combining the direct spending of both residents and tourists. This was announced by the Mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, during the official review of the Carnival.
Furthermore, tourism reached unprecedented levels, with more than 185,000 visitors during the two-week street festivities, and hotel occupancy rates soared to nearly 88%, marking an increase of almost 15 percentage points from the reservations made before the carnival began.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez highlighted these figures in a full municipal assembly, attended by all members responsible for one of the “safest and most globally significant carnivals,” alongside First Deputy Mayor Carlos Tarife, Festivities Councillor Javier Caraballero, Safety Councillor Gladis de León, and the CEO of the Development Company, Carmen Pérez.
The report also mentioned the Carnival Hospital, which saw 665 patients between February 9 and 18, showing a 12% decrease in attendances compared to 2023. The majority of these cases were alcohol-related (552 individuals), alongside 42 assault cases, leading to five arrests by the Local Police, three for theft and two for sexual assaults.
Despite the surge in visitor numbers, the total volume of waste collected saw a reduction of almost one tonne from the previous year, with increases in the collection of packaging, paper, and cardboard, indicating a rise in recycling awareness.
