The economic engine of southern Gran Canaria is showing worrying signs of structural fatigue. The latest consolidated data from the Canary Islands Statistics Institute's (ISTAC) Tourist Expenditure Survey reveals a widespread contraction in visitor spending power, which has peaked after the mirage of post-pandemic recovery. The established tourist destinations of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Mogán face an uncomfortable reality: tourists are spending less on almost all key services on the island, while inflation and operating costs are eroding the profit margins of local businesses. The strategy of basing the success of the tourism model solely on the volume of arrivals is suffering a major accounting setback.
The souvenir trade and general purchases at the destination reflect the disaffection of the new visitor profile. Although the volume of spending on goods registered a technical increase compared to the collapse of 2024, the indicator is light years away from the levels reached in 2022, when each tourist spent an average of 520 euros in southern shops compared to the current 330 euros.
A detailed analysis of accommodation reveals the first major sign of strain on the hotel and non-hotel sector in Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, and Meloneras. After years of uninterrupted growth that took average accommodation spending from €731 in 2019 to the psychological barrier of €1.003 in 2024, the indicator suffered its first decline, settling at €998 per tourist per trip. This drop is not due to a lack of occupancy, which remains at a solid 83,8% for primary accommodation, but rather to a loss of capacity to generate additional income at the destination. Extra spending within the establishment itself fell to €216, demonstrating that visitors are cutting back on hotel extras to balance their vacation budget.
The profitability crisis is hitting the restaurant and traditional retail sectors in the south of the island particularly hard. Average tourist spending on food fell to €351, interrupting an upward trend that had been consolidating since the pre-pandemic period. A breakdown of this spending reveals a defensive trend among consumers: spending in restaurants and cafes contracted, dropping from €222 per stay to €215. Although 66,1% of visitors dined at a restaurant or bar, the average bill per table decreased, a direct blow to small and medium-sized businesses in the shopping centers of the tourist area, which are now seeing customers carefully consider every dish.
Land transport on the island presents a mixed picture that also offers little optimism for the local economy. Overall spending on transport fell for the second consecutive year to €795. While car rentals increased their market share, reaching 25,3% of travelers, the average cost per vehicle stagnated at €129, putting pressure on rental car operators' rates. The taxi sector experienced a slight increase in average spending per user, reaching €111, but this isolated figure is more attributable to the rise in regulated fares and the cost of mandatory transfers to Gando Airport than to greater activity in recreational travel by tourists within the island.
The complementary leisure, cultural, and sporting offerings are experiencing their own particular period of hardship. Overall spending on recreational activities fell to €553 per tourist, reinforcing the irrelevance of cultural and museum offerings in the visitor's shopping basket. Sports activities suffered a severe decline, dropping from €118 to €100 per user, while the health and wellness tourism segment remains at a minimum, attracting barely 3,4% of all travelers. Theme parks in the south are also failing to increase their profitability, with average revenue stagnating at €67 per customer, a figure lower than that recorded three years ago, which calls into question the investments in renovating these facilities.
The only macroeconomic indicator that experienced a substantial increase was in the category of unforeseen expenses, where medical and pharmaceutical outlays skyrocketed to €63 per tourist. This increase in pharmaceutical spending, coupled with the surge in the category of other miscellaneous expenses, which climbed to €112, confirms that visitor money is being diluted by contingencies and indirect costs instead of supporting the productive leisure and retail sectors of Gran Canaria. The ISTAC statistics send a serious warning to destination planners: the south of the island is losing the battle for the wallets of European tourists, who arrive hyper-connected but with an increasingly reduced willingness to spend.
