Canary Islands Set to Break Tourism Records in 2024

The Canary Islands are on track to achieve their best year in tourism history in 2024, according to official data as of June. In the first half of the year, the islands welcomed 8.74 million tourists, marking an 11.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Out of this total, 7.81 million were international visitors, representing a 12.4% rise (an additional 970,000 people) from the previous year. Domestic tourists, including those from mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, reached 930,000, an increase of 3.7% (34,000 more visitors).

If this growth trend continues through the remainder of the year, the Canary Islands are projected to reach an annual total of 17.8 million tourists, surpassing the previous record of 16.2 million set in 2023. This would represent an increase of 1.6 million visitors.

In addition to the rise in air arrivals, the cruise sector also experienced growth. In the first six months of 2024, 1.6 million cruise passengers arrived at the Canary Islands' ports, an 11% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

Economic indicators related to tourism also show significant growth. Hotel and apartment revenues in the Canary Islands totaled EUR2.613 billion in the first half of 2024, a 15.2% increase (an additional EUR397 million) compared to the same period in 2023. Furthermore, spending by international tourists in the Canary Islands reached EUR11.059 billion in the first six months of 2024, representing 20% of the total tourism spending in Spain during that period.

Factors contributing to this growth include an increase in tourist arrivals, a higher average stay of 10.5 days per visitor, and an overall rise in spending by foreign visitors.

Tourism also continues to play a significant role in employment in the Canary Islands. As of June 2024, 18.6% of Social Security affiliations in the region were linked to the tourism sector, which includes hospitality, travel agencies, and other related services.