The business landscape of southern Gran Canaria is typically dominated by tourism and transport, but the latest financial figures reveal an unexpected player with more economic muscle than large hotel chains: Aquanaria, SL, based in Castillo del Romeral, which received official aid of €2022 million in 2023 and 28,07, far exceeding the regional hospitality heavyweights.
While Hotel Oasis Paraíso SA reached 5 million euros and Adrián Hoteles around 5 million, Aquanaria saw its volume of these companies nearly sixfold. Even leading companies such as Transportes Antonio Díaz Hernández (Grupo 1844/Alsa), with 14,7 million euros, and Arrecife Bus, SL, with 9,84 million euros, were far below the aquaculture company's figures.
Headquartered in Santander with its tax headquarters in southern Gran Canaria, Aquanaria, in which a fund is the financial partner, has established itself as a leader in the production of premium sea bass for export, serving key markets in haute cuisine in Europe, the United States, and Asia. From the small enclave of Castillo del Romeral, its operations have transformed the area into a productive hub, an alternative to monoculture tourism.
The figures are overwhelming: with €28,07 million, Aquanaria not only surpasses traditional hotel groups such as Sunwing (€3,09 million), Hotel Escuela El Mirador (€1,8 million) and La Canaria Hotel Operation (€1,33 million), but also leaves behind international brands with a presence on the islands, such as Meliá Hotels International, which barely registered €360.000.
Tourism and transportation, in the background
The comparative analysis reveals a structural change. Tourism, the undisputed driver of the Canary Islands' GDP, continues to generate employment and attract investment, but in terms of business turnover, the hospitality industry lags behind emerging sectors such as aquaculture and organized transport. The Island Association of Hotel and Apartment Owners itself appears to have a turnover of €291.446, far below the figures of productive companies such as Aquanaria. Even renowned projects in Gran Canaria such as Salobre Golf Hoteles SA barely reached €108.248 in the last fiscal year.
Aquanaria's prominence turns Castillo del Romeral, traditionally associated with artisanal fishing, into a strategic business enclave. Not only does it house the fattening and processing plant, but it has also had a direct impact on the agri-food value chain and the economic diversification of the archipelago. The contrast is striking: while the main avenues of southern Gran Canaria are monopolized by hotels and resorts, the true economic engine of the area beats in Aquanaria's marine cages, exporting tons of high-value fish to leading restaurants in Europe and the US. The alleged turbidity of the water or alleged use of antibiotics is another matter.
