The island is consolidating the positive momentum of the mainland and Balearic markets, key to growth in the summer, after growing by 10% in the summer period of 2025, thereby reducing the low season.
Gran Canaria is attending Fitur 2026 with the aim of consolidating the positive performance of domestic tourists and strengthening its presence during the summer months, thus advancing the process of reducing the island's seasonality. Air connectivity, the island's positioning as a venue for major sporting and cultural events, the promotion of gastronomy and local products, along with market diversification and visitor mobility throughout the island, form the main pillars of the island's tourism strategy.
This was explained by the president of the Gran Canaria Island Council, Antonio Morales, and the tourism councilor, Carlos Álamo, during the first day of the fair, in which the Gran Canaria delegation will hold nearly 70 professional meetings with agents, tour operators and airlines between Wednesday and Friday.
Morales emphasized that the island “has made a clear and bold commitment for years to sustainability, quality, and increased tourism spending, based on studies and expert opinion, anticipating a trend that is now widespread.” In this regard, he stressed that, despite not yet seeing peak performance in the Nordic and German markets, Gran Canaria closed the last fiscal year with an 8% increase in revenue, reaching approximately €6.800 billion, pending final statistical confirmation.
For his part, the Tourism Minister explained that participation in this edition of Fitur has been marked by respect and mourning following the train accident in Andalusia, which is why the more festive promotional agenda has been reduced, maintaining only the planned professional meetings.
The domestic customer, strategic for growth in summer
Álamo emphasized the importance of the domestic market for the islands' tourism strategy, defined in the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes market diversification and the elimination of the low season. “Accommodation occupancy in winter is around 90%, so the real room for growth lies in summer, precisely when mainland and Balearic tourists show the greatest preference for traveling to the Canary Islands,” he explained.
In this context, the domestic market has consolidated its position as the fourth most important for Gran Canaria and one of the main markets during the summer season. Last summer, the number of visitors from mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands grew by 10%, while in winter it fell by 4%, confirming its marked seasonal pattern.
Up to November 2025, pending final figures for December, the island received over 534.800 domestic tourists, the third highest figure on record. This market generated a cumulative revenue of €320 million, the highest recorded to date, even surpassing 2019 levels. Average spending was €807,95 per trip and €136,34 per day, with an average stay of seven nights, representing 7% of the island's total tourism revenue.
The Island Council highlights that this is a high-spending visitor with high mobility, who distributes his budget among different municipalities and businesses, and who shows a special interest in the culture, gastronomy and landscapes of Gran Canaria.
Events, culture and sport as drivers of added value
The Gran Canaria delegation is taking advantage of Fitur to reinforce the visibility of the product that complements the traditional sun and beach tourism, with gastronomy, sports, culture and leisure as pillars of the destination's positioning.
One of the main announcements made at the fair was the celebration, on May 16, of the final of the 2026 Iberdrola Queen's Cup football tournament at the Gran Canaria Stadium, in collaboration with the Spanish Football Federation. "It will be the first time this final has been played on a non-peninsular territory and reflects our understanding of women's sport, equality, and social inclusion," said Morales, who also highlighted the island's capacity to host major sporting events, in line with the international competitions recently held there and with an eye toward the 2030 World Cup.
Alongside this event, Gran Canaria is promoting at Fitur events such as Granca Live Fest, The North Face Transgrancanaria, the Almond Blossom Festival in Tejeda, and cultural festivals such as Womex and Sonora, which have a significant economic impact and strengthen the destination's international profile.
“When we talk about diversifying the offerings, we are talking about culture, gastronomy, archaeological heritage, sports, the quality of the sky, and many other elements that add value, prestige, and additional reasons for visitors to choose Gran Canaria and increase their spending,” concluded the president of the Island Council.
For his part, the councilor expressed satisfaction with the connectivity indicators, as the departure of Ryanair and the loss of seats have been offset by the arrival of other airlines. “Currently, the island is experiencing moderate growth in tourist arrivals and exponential growth in revenue and income, which reinforces the strategy designed by the Gran Canaria Island Council,” concluded Councilor Carlos Álamo.
Looking ahead to the 2026 summer season, figures are expected to be similar, with 863.986 seats available between June, July, August, and September, representing a 2,5% decrease compared to current levels. Gran Canaria Tourism is confident that other airlines will enter the market during the summer period, which is when the destination has the greatest potential for growth.
