Last Monday, this year's edition of the London World Travel Market, the most important fair in the tourism sector. As usual, a delegation from the Cabildo of Gran Canaria traveled to the event, mainly focused on attracting British clients, a segment of visitors of great importance for the Canary Islands in general and for Gran Canaria in particular, since one of each four tourists who have visited the island are British.
Furthermore, the British market has been immersed in strong uncertainty for years, first due to the bankruptcy of the main tour operator, the Thomas Cook company, and then due to the unforeseeable consequences of Brexit, those linked to its change in relationship with the countries of the European common market and those derived from their domestic economy.
But despite these circumstances, we are facing the best year in history in terms of tourism from Great Britain, both in terms of volume of arrivals and billing: 692.871 British passengers landed at Gran Canaria airport between January and September. of 2023, which represents an increase of almost 17% compared to last year, which in turn already represented an increase compared to 2019, the last year of normalized mobility before COVID19.
But the most important thing is that spending per visitor is also increasing and, therefore, there is greater revenue. The average spending of the British customer in Gran Canaria has risen to an average of 1.348,9 euros, with an increase in spending per stay of 14%, and per day, of 11%. This is especially relevant, since, as I have written on other occasions, if we want to reduce the environmental impact of our main economic activity, our strategy has to focus on increasing quality and spending per visitor and not so much their number.
The importance of this market is also highlighted because, as has been shown, despite the delicate financial situation and international instability, British citizens do not give up a few days of sun and beach rest, and even prefer to cut back on other expenses or reduce your stay by one or two days rather than stop enjoying your vacation.
I am perfectly aware that there are more and more voices critical of the social, economic and environmental effects of tourist massification. But, in the same way, I believe that we cannot demonize our main economic sector, without which the development of the Canary Islands in the second half of the XNUMXth century would not be understood, and at the same time, we must be sensitive to the impact it has on our land and the discomfort that it generates in a part of the citizens who see how this activity has negative effects on their daily lives (increased housing prices, overcrowding, gentrification of neighborhoods, etc.) as well as their demands.
But the change that is needed is complex, takes time to undertake and involves multiple actors. The strategy of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria is clear. Our priority is to make the most of the presence of our tourist clients, so that with fewer tourists we achieve greater turnover, through a higher quality product so that the visitor is willing to spend more and not have to resort to a Excessive tourist overcrowding, greater consumption of the territory and also greater social tension.
This increase in tourist income means that with a cumulative 2,4 million clients between January and July, we have already presented a record turnover close to two billion, an increase of around 30%, higher than the inflation rate. Spending per customer of any origin and trip has reached 1.409 euros. This makes us a stronger destination and less dependent on external factors. The success of gastronomy is a relevant point in this topic. We are convinced that this is the path to excellence and, as proof, I must point out that we have had months in which, with less presence of tourists than other island destinations, our collection has been higher than the rest.
This is fundamentally what the work of the Gran Canaria Tourism delegation that travels to these fairs and the work they do throughout the year consists of. In addition to attracting new segments and guaranteeing the connectivity of the islands, its objective is to promote those characteristics of the destination that we are interested in reinforcing to complement the sun and beach offer, such as gastronomy, the modernization of commercial spaces or natural and cultural values. and historical.
In addition, we have dozens of initiatives underway that link sustainability and tourism, such as Destino Biosphere (a sustainability certification for companies), tourism sustainability plans such as the one being developed in Risco Caído and the Sacred Mountain Spaces and the Reserva de la Biosphere or the Life Coast-Adapt project for the mitigation and adaptation of the coast and coastal infrastructure to the effects of climate change.
Our eco-island project (which has received the majority support of the population of Gran Canaria in three consecutive elections) aims to become a benchmark for sustainability, decarbonization and adaptation to climate change. And without the sustainable reconversion of our main economic activity it would be incomplete. The data certified in London guarantees that we are moving in the right direction. They also endorse other milestones such as the creation of new air routes.
It is also important to highlight that according to ISTAC data on tourist arrivals to Gran Canaria, the market diversification process has led to a 17,8% increase in clients with the United Kingdom in relation to the same months, from January to September. 2022. The increase in Germans, a market that is regaining health after the difficulties of the previous year, is 16,2%; the French market grows 21,9%; the Irish 42,7%; The Italian market has grown by 10% and the Nordics, another strategic market, have recovered with an increase of 22% compared to 2022. In addition, Air Baltic opens a base in Gran Canaria, the first they have opened outside their territory. The international market grows by 17,3% as a whole, while the peninsular market is 1,6% below, mainly affected by the increase in prices and high demand in the period following the reopening after the pandemic. Without a doubt, these are good times for the sector.
