2025 will be remembered as the year Spaniards decided that comfort is non-negotiable and that southern Gran Canaria is the preferred retreat to fulfill their desires. According to KAYAK’s annual trends report, the world’s leading travel search engine, San Bartolomé de Tirajana has emerged as the fastest-growing domestic destination in hotel searches, tripling its figures compared to the previous year.
This phenomenon places the Maspalomas enclave at the forefront of a paradigm shift: Spanish travelers are no longer just looking for sun and sand, but are opting for exclusivity and luxury experiences at home. However, the data from San Bartolomé de Tirajana best defines the pulse of domestic tourism. “In 2025, comfort gained ground,” notes Natalia Diez-Rivas, KAYAK’s Commercial Director for Europe. And it is in this area that southern Gran Canaria has proven unbeatable, attracting travelers seeking business class (searches for which rose by 23%) and hotels where luxury is the norm, not the exception.
While established cities like Madrid and London continue to lead in total hotel search volume, the true star of 2025 has been the Gran Canaria municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. With a 3x (300%) increase in interest in its accommodations, the south of the island has exceeded all expectations, benefiting from a national trend towards “premium” options.
This meteoric rise coincides with a revealing fact from the report: searches for 5-star accommodations have grown by an impressive 105% across Spain during 2025. Spaniards are willing to pay an average of €180 per night to ensure a top-tier stay, a spending profile that perfectly matches the renovated hotel infrastructure of Maspalomas and Meloneras.
The KAYAK report highlights another key trend that has benefited the Canary Islands: 2025 was the year of group travel. Those plans that died in WhatsApp groups finally became reality, with a 30% increase in searches for group flights. Conversely, solo travel (“Eat, Pray, Love”) fell by 7%, confirming that Spaniards prefer to share luxury and leisure.
In this context, Maspalomas is consolidating its position as the ideal setting for these group getaways, combining luxury villas, nightlife, and relaxation under an enviable climate that, in months like March, saw the most competitive flight prices of the year (an average of €146). Globally, although Paris remains the undisputed cult destination and Palma de Mallorca leads in domestic flight volume (with an average price of €70), Spanish travelers have shown a renewed interest in exotic destinations. Fukuoka, Japan, has been the biggest international surprise, with a 150% increase in flight searches.