The latest data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Commission, reveals a dramatic increase in the use of booking platforms like Booking.com and Airbnb in the Canary Islands. Since 2018, bookings through these platforms have gone up by 55.4%, from 14.3 million to 22.3 million annual reservations over the last five years.
The Canary Islands have experienced a notable increase in bookings through major accommodation booking platforms, reflecting a broader trend in the global tourism market.
November 2023 was the peak month, with 2.3 million bookings, which aligns with the high season for European visitors coming to the islands to escape colder climates.
Andalusia had the most bookings of this type in Spain with 35.6 million confirmed reservations last year, driven by its range of popular destinations including Malaga, Cadiz, Sevilla, and Granada. Catalonia followed closely with 22.2 million bookings.
The Canary Islands, ranking second, showcase the region's significant appeal. Despite tourism challenges during the pandemic, which saw a dip to 8 million bookings in 2020, numbers rebounded sharply to 11.2 million in 2021 and continued to grow to nearly 15 million in 2023.
In comparison with other European destinations, the Jadranska Hrvatska region in Croatia and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in France also reported high booking figures, with 32.6 million and 24.9 million respectively in 2023. For the first quarter of 2024, Eurostat reported a 28.3% increase in short-term rental bookings within the EU, totalling 123.7 million nights.
The rise in holiday rental properties has led to increased scrutiny and regulatory efforts. The regional government is working on new legislation to regulate short-term rentals in response to concerns about the impact on the local housing market.
The proposed law, introduced in April by Minister of Tourism and Employment, Minister Jéssica De León, addresses the growing share of holiday rentals, which currently represent 36% of the island’s total accommodation, with 54,282 properties dedicated to short-term rentals.
Issues have also arisen with platforms like Booking.com. The Spanish Competition Authority (CNMC) has imposed a fine on the company for abusing its dominant market position, specifically for restricting hotels from offering lower prices on their own websites and manipulating search result rankings based on availability.
