The Canary Islands continue to dominate as a preferred holiday destination, with more than 1.1 million tourists during the third quarter of 2024 reporting that they considered no other place for their holidays, according to the Survey on Tourist Expenditure conducted by the Canary Islands Institute of Statistics (ISTAC).
The survey reveals that 34% of tourists chose the Canary Islands without exploring other destinations, emphasizing the strong appeal of the archipelago. During July, August, and September, a total of 1,147,949 visitors saw the Islands as their sole travel choice.
Other popular destinations considered by some tourists included Greece, the Balearic Islands, and other regions in Spain, followed by countries like Portugal, Italy, Croatia, and Turkey.
The overwhelming majority of visitors (92.8%) cited holidays, leisure, and entertainment as their primary motivation. Other reasons included business travel and personal reasons like visiting family or attending to educational or health matters.
Accommodation Trends
Hotels led the way as the most popular accommodation type, hosting nearly 60% of tourists, while 17.3% stayed in apartments. Private accommodations, including private holiday lets, accounted for 14%, and 8% stayed with friends or in personal or free exchange homes.
Notably, 31.2% of tourists opted for all-inclusive packages, a popular choice particularly among Belgian visitors (37%). However, Irish travellers showed a preference for more flexible options, with only 12% choosing all-inclusive stays.
Loyal Visitors and Stay Duration
The Canary Islands enjoy high loyalty from visitors, with 64% of tourists returning for repeat visits. Despite this, overall satisfaction scored an average of 8.5 out of 10, a strong rating but the lowest recorded since 2019.
The average stay across all tourists was 9.2 days, varying by nationality. Italians stayed the longest, averaging 11.44 days, while Spanish visitors recorded the shortest stays at 7.5 days.
The continued popularity of the Canary Islands as a destination speaks to its diverse offerings, from sun and beach tourism to cultural and leisure activities. However, with satisfaction ratings showing a slight dip, maintaining and improving visitor experiences will be key to sustaining this success.
