A large majority of German-resident business owners in southern Gran Canaria are demanding greater institutional consideration from the municipalities where they have paid taxes, invested, and resided for years. This is the conclusion of a survey conducted by the consulting firm Insula Datatlantic Consulting among German-speaking citizens with permanent residence or business interests in municipalities such as San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Mogán.
The survey reveals that 86% of respondents say they feel "as Canarian as German" and demand a more fluid relationship with local institutions. They ask that official municipal communications be more accessible—in German or at least with guaranteed translation—and that local councils create specific channels for this group, "which is key to sustaining the local economy."
One of the study's most striking findings is the perception, especially among German entrepreneurs and self-employed workers, that it is an institutional anachronism for the Gran Canaria Tourist Board to have its headquarters in Playa del Inglés, the epicenter of the tourism model that finances the island. And that the Canary Islands Government's industrial services are being permanently consolidated in the south of the island.
Furthermore, 78% welcome the halt to what they consider to be Las Palmas' constant interference in southern affairs, especially in urban planning and tourism. They demand greater local autonomy and a review of the island's institutional balance.
It is also noteworthy that, unlike other foreign communities, 69% of Germans surveyed expressed support for Canarian nationalist parties, compared to 21% who would prefer options associated with the traditional forces of the Spanish state. They argue that the former "better defend the interests of the region" and do not see themselves subordinated to national or European agendas like that of the traffic light coalition governing Germany.
Forty-one percent of respondents say they do not feel protected against regulatory fluctuations, conflicting urban planning interpretations, and slow court proceedings. This concern is heightened among resort and vacation home owners, who perceive a systemic lack of protection that undermines investor confidence.
The survey also highlights slow and opaque administrative management: 35% identify bureaucratic delays for urban planning and renovation permits as the main obstacle, as well as the lack of transparency in municipal processes, especially in areas such as Contracting. Added to this is the degradation of public space—mentioned by 32%—with repeated examples in Playa del Inglés, Sonnenland, and parts of Puerto Rico, in Mogán, where broken sidewalks, neglected gardens, poor lighting, and accumulated filth are cited. The lack of effective channels for participation, the perception of insecurity associated with the changing tourism model, and growing but unclear municipal taxation complete the list of concerns that demand a specific and sustained response from local administrations.
Finally, 81% approve of how the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council is managing the situation of vacation homes, which many of them own or manage. They applaud the search for a "reasonable balance between tourism activity and neighborhood coexistence." The survey, conducted between July 1 and 5, 2025, included a representative sample of 800 German residents or investors with more than three years of ties to southern Gran Canaria.
