Germans and British are the ones who show the greatest concern about not damaging the environment during their vacation stay
The Minister of Tourism of Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo, points out that these values “will grow in the coming years to make them a capital element when choosing accommodation and destination.”
The 'break' that occurred in the international tourism sector as a consequence of the Coronavirus has modified some of the keys and priorities of the tourist himself. The profile of the tourist client that Gran Canaria receives has also changed some habits, interests and priorities, and among these traits the criterion of the sustainability of the destination is now presented in the reality of the new post-covid tourism. In this scenario, the British and Germans are the markets that show the greatest interest and concern for these elements of sustainability.
“Concern about climate change and sustainability criteria are increasingly present and the entire sector agrees that their weight when choosing a destination will grow in the coming years,” said Carlos Álamo. “We are already working in this area, with the example of Biosphere, because the client is increasingly aware and demands that their vacations do not involve damage to the environment,” he added.
Among the novelties presented by the 'new' client of Gran Canaria, collected in a report for the first quarter of 2022 promoted by Turismo de Gran Canaria and developed through spending surveys by the ISTAC, (Canary Institute of Statistics) appears for the first Once the question of sustainability and without yet being decisive in it, it is presented as a new element and in the process of growth.
According to this report, 39% of tourists in Gran Canaria do not consider or show any inclination towards sustainability when choosing between different options or destinations . 21,5% of the total do show a willingness to choose more sustainable options, even if this presents some kind of inconvenience. Furthermore, 38,87% state that they are willing, but only if it does not cause them any inconvenience.
The majority of British tourists do take into account more sustainable options, as long as they do not pose any inconvenience (39,08%), while 23,66% say that they do not mind the inconveniences and 37,36% refuse to choose with the criterion of sustainability. The German market presents the same line. 36,99% opt for sustainability if it does not cause inconveniences; 22,24% would do it regardless of the inconveniences; and 40,77 do not consider it among their elements when deciding their destiny.
Within the group with the greatest predisposition when it comes to choosing more sustainable options, the Spanish market is the one with the largest share compared to the rest of the countries, with 26,27% of national tourists.
Most tourists are not willing to spend extra money to reduce their carbon footprint, with a share of 34,27%. However, the majority of German tourists are willing to spend up to 10% more (30,56%).
Within the group most predisposed to spending more to reduce their carbon footprint, once again the German market is the one with the highest share compared to the rest of the countries, with 20,15% of German tourists.
The ISTAC survey also investigates the tourist client's assessment of the sustainability measures applied in Gran Canaria, with a favorable result. The highest score (8,56) corresponds to the tolerance shown by the population towards tourism. This is followed by air quality (8,39) and the quality of life perceived on the island (8,09), as well as the cleanliness of the Island (8,08). Other notable evaluations by tourists reside in the ease of mobility in public transport (7,57), the rational consumption of water (7,29) and the use of renewable energy (7,10). The worst rating, with a score of 6,71, appears overcrowding in tourist areas and recycling, rated with a score of 6,94.
Another variation in the report for the first quarter of 2022 is found in the increase in the percentage of young tourists. The age group between 16 and 44 years old now occupies 47% of total visitors, compared to 38,51% in the first quarter of 2019, the pre-covid reference year. The group of people over 44 goes from 61,49% in 2019 to 53% today. This is one of the priorities established in the Gran Canaria Tourism Strategy 2021-2025 and which detects the need to increase the presence of young people and minors among our clientele. This also implies a slight increase in the number of tourists traveling with children, going from 10,97% in the first quarter of 2019 to 12,39% today. Even so, the volume of visitors without children is the majority: 89% in 2019 and 79,63% in the first quarter of 2021.
On the other hand, the time parameter when booking the trip decreases. In 2019, 33,51% did so within the range of the same month (from 0 to 30 days), while last-minute reservations currently represent 41,50% of the total. That is, in the first quarter of 2022, almost 42% of tourists who arrived in Gran Canaria stated that they had organized their trip less than a month in advance. Meanwhile, tourists who book more than three months in advance now represent 31,75% of the total. In 2019 they represented 39,70%.
The average length of stay is also increasing. The total average stay during the first quarter of 2022 was 10,63 days, representing an 11,54% increase compared to 2019. German tourists continue to spend, on average, the most days on the island (11 days, not including data from other countries), which is more than 3 days longer than residents of Spain.
You can find more information or consult the full report at the following address: https://www.grancanaria.com/turismo/es/area-profesional/informes-y-estadisticas/nuestros-turistas/