The Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, festivals such as Womex, Sonora, Granca Live, sporting events such as The North Face Gran Canaria, the Almendro en Flor festival, and Mogán's collaboration with Gran Canaria Tourism on investments were the main highlights of Gran Canaria's proposal at the second edition of the international tourism fair.
Gran Canaria took advantage of its presence at Fitur 2026 to reaffirm the success of its tourism strategy focused on diversifying the destination and strengthening its complementary offerings as one of the main drivers of the sector's economic growth. Under the slogan Gran Canaria is much more than sun and beachThe Gran Canaria Island Council, through the Department of Tourism, presented during the second day of the fair the progress of a model that has allowed it to reach historic figures in turnover and improve the distribution of tourist wealth throughout the island.
This strategy, developed within the framework of the Gran Canaria Tourism Strategic Plan, prioritizes increasing average spending per visitor over growth in volume, focusing on cultural, gastronomic, sporting and leisure activities that enrich the traveler's experience and generate a greater economic impact on the territory.
The president of the Gran Canaria Island Council, Antonio Morales, highlighted that the destination is experiencing its best moment ever in terms of tourism profitability, with a projected revenue of nearly €6.800 billion by the end of 2025. Morales emphasized that this growth is not only reflected in traditionally tourist areas, but also extends to all 21 municipalities on the island, with a 66% increase in tourism revenue in non-tourist municipalities between 2019 and 2024.
“This progress is possible because visitors to Gran Canaria today find numerous reasons to invest their holiday budget in our products, our gastronomy, the primary sector, festivals, culture, and local traditions. In short, in the economy of Gran Canaria,” stated the island president, who is leading the island's delegation at Fitur.
For his part, the Tourism Councillor of Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo, explained that the island's presence at this year's fair was intended to clearly reflect the destination's current positioning. “We have highlighted the municipalities and a multi-product offering that is the result of analysis, planning, and adaptation to the trends and tastes of today's customer. Gran Canaria is a successful destination today because it has known how to evolve,” he stated.
Thus, the second day of Fitur was marked by a collective presentation that offered a joint vision of the capital, the summit and the tourist south, with the outstanding participation of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tejeda and Mogán, as well as major events and proposals of international projection such as the Granca Live Fest, The North Face Transgrancanaria, the WOMEX Festival and the Sonora Festival, in addition to the signature gastronomy represented by chef Borja Marrero, distinguished with a Michelin Star.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria unveiled the main features of its Carnival, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, along with an ambitious cultural program that will transform the city into the archipelago's musical epicenter in the autumn of 2026 with the celebration of WOMEX (Worldwide Music Expo) and the Sonora Festival. The mayor of the capital, Carolina Darias, highlighted the city's capacity to attract and host major national and international events, emphasizing its role as a cultural, creative, and tourist hub.
“We have been able to present a very special Carnival to mark its 50th anniversary, which will pay tribute to those who have made it possible, including its groups and competitions; the return of Womex in 2026, eight years later, with more than 40 concerts, five stages and a wide professional program; and the Sonora Festival in Santa Ana, which is consolidating itself as a showcase for emerging musical talent in the Canary Islands,” explained the mayor.
In this context, the cultural, economic and promotional impact of holding both festivals was highlighted, which will position Gran Canaria as the international capital of music during the month of October 2026 and will reinforce the positioning of the archipelago as a destination linked to diversity, multiculturalism and artistic creation.
The Granca Live Fest once again proved its worth as a prime example of the potential of large-scale events within the island's tourism strategy. The President of the Island Council expressed his gratitude for the work of the cultural promoters and emphasized that the festival has established itself as one of the Canary Islands' major cultural and tourism projects, with an estimated economic return of 95 million euros and significant direct and indirect job creation for several months each year.
The Gran Canaria summit also played a significant role with the presentation of the 53rd edition of the Tejeda Almond Blossom Festival, declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. The mayor of the municipality, Francisco Juan Perera, highlighted the festival's ability to keep local tradition and identity alive while adapting to new tourism trends, with gastronomy as its central element. Within this context, chef Borja Marrero presented a creation inspired by almonds and the surrounding landscape, as a tribute to his hometown.
For its part, Mogán highlighted the collaboration with the Gran Canaria Island Council and the shared investment for infrastructure modernization and the revitalization of its tourism offerings. Mayor Onalia Bueno emphasized the municipality's excellent figures, noting that in 2024 it received over 1,4 million tourists, with an average hotel occupancy rate exceeding 82%, more than eight million overnight stays, and a 16,7% increase in hotel revenue. Furthermore, Mogán has solidified its position as one of the municipalities on the island with the highest average tourist spending.
Furthermore, The North Face and Transgrancanaria took advantage of this event to announce the extension of their sponsorship agreement until 2029. This renewal for three additional seasons reinforces a partnership that began in 2024 and confirms the Gran Canaria race as one of the most important trail running events in the world. The announcement was attended by Wendy Cruz, Marketing Director of Arista Eventos; Poli Suárez, Minister of Sports for the Government of the Canary Islands; Antonio Morales, President of the Gran Canaria Island Council; Carlos Álamo, Minister of Tourism for the Gran Canaria Island Council; Aridany Romero, Minister of Sports for the Gran Canaria Island Council; and Carolina Darias, Mayor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
With this presence at Fitur, Gran Canaria reinforces its commitment to a sustainable, diversified and high value-added tourism model, in which the complementary offer is confirmed as a key tool to maintain the sector's record figures, improve the competitiveness of the destination and continue generating well-being and opportunities throughout the island.
