The labor market for visitors to southern Gran Canaria has shown remarkable resilience and a shift towards more stable job profiles following the pandemic. According to the latest data from Promotur (2026), between 2019 and 2024, salaried workers remained the cornerstone of the destination, representing 55,3% of tourists. This group has maintained its dominance, even surpassing the 2019 figures (53,9%) and solidifying its position as the workforce that sustains hotel and other accommodation occupancy on the island throughout the year.
The second largest group, and one with a significant upward trend, is retirees. This segment has grown from 13,9% in 2021 to a robust 18,8% in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This increase of almost five percentage points reflects the massive return of European senior tourists, with high purchasing power and availability for extended stays, which directly impacts the sustainability of spending in key areas like Maspalomas.
In the private sector, the self-employed (10,1%) and business owners (8,5%) together account for almost a fifth of all visitors. Although the business profile has experienced a slight decline compared to the 11,1% recorded in 2021, it continues to represent a high-value, strategic market niche. Meanwhile, the presence of students remains stable at around 4,8%, while sectors such as the unemployed and those dedicated to homemaking maintain a negligible representation of 1% and 0,4%, respectively.
This employment structure aligns perfectly with reported income levels, where households with incomes exceeding €50.000 annually already represent more than 54% of the market. The combination of a majority of skilled salaried workers and the increase in retirees paints a picture of solvency for the destination, guaranteeing a steady flow of foreign capital that already generates more than €6.000 billion annually.
