The report, prepared by the Association for Research, Study and Excellence in the Tourism sector in the Canary Islands, corresponds to the third quarter of 2024
The Chamber of Commerce of Gran Canaria and Excelcan, the Association for Research, Study and Excellence in the Tourism Sector in the Canary Islands, have presented this morning the report on the tourism situation for the third quarter of this year, which analyses in detail the key aspects that influence the tourism panorama of the Canary Islands, and that directly impact the economy and development of the region.
The event included speeches by the president of Excelcan and the Tourism Committee of the Chamber, Santiago de Armas Fariñas, and the consulting director of Corporación 5, José Miguel González, who pointed out that the archipelago continues to demonstrate its strength with notable increases in the arrival of tourists, tourist spending and overnight stays.
During the third quarter of 2024, the Canary Islands have recorded the arrival of a total of 4.169.503 tourists, which represents an increase of 6,71% compared to the previous quarter. This growth reflects not only a high demand from international markets, but also the boost of national tourism, which experienced a quarterly increase of 23,74%.
According to data from Excelcan, in terms of overnight stays, the Canary Islands recorded a total of 26,3 million nights, 16,66% more than in the previous quarter and 2,89% more than in the same period in 2023. This data reflects a positive trend of tourists opting for longer stays to enjoy their holidays on the islands. The average stay remains stable at 7,19 days, which shows the good reception of the Canary Islands destinations by visitors.
As regards tourist spending, it can also be seen that it is on an upward trend. In this quarter, the archipelago reached 5.163 million euros, which represents a growth of 23,82% compared to the previous quarter and a year-on-year increase of 6,27%. The strong increase in spending is related to the notable increase in air connectivity and the rise in hotel occupancy, which translates into a growth of 280 million euros in accommodation revenue, driven by a higher occupancy rate and an improvement in revenue per available room.
The Canary Islands also continue to strengthen their international position thanks to improved connectivity. According to this report, international transport has experienced significant growth, with an increase of 406 million euros compared to the previous quarter, which shows that the islands continue to be a highly competitive and accessible destination for tourists from all over the world.
Outlook for 2025: sustainability, digitalisation and diversification
Projections for the end of 2024 indicate that the Canary Islands could end the year with almost 18 million visitors and total tourist spending close to 22.000 billion euros.
Looking ahead to 2025, the press conference referred to the new challenges and opportunities facing the Canary Islands, which involve three fundamental pillars: sustainability, digital transformation and diversification of the tourist offer. The focus was also placed on several challenges, such as the saturation of tourist areas, vulnerability to climatic phenomena and global competitiveness. The global tourism sector remains highly competitive, so the Canary Islands must maintain its attractiveness and adapt quickly to new market demands.
In this regard, Santiago de Armas pointed out that “it is necessary to work on a strategy that makes the Canary Islands a destination with a balanced tourism model that combines the attraction of visitors with the preservation of the environment and natural resources, as well as the social well-being of the resident population.” For his part, the consulting director of Corporación 5, José Miguel González, pointed out that productive specialization is not incompatible with the diversification of the economy.
