The managing director of Tourism for Gran Canaria, Pablo Llinares, predicts that the destination will close the year with around five million visitors and a new record in revenue.
Experts highlight unprecedented connectivity, an improvement in complementary services, the deseasonalization of the national market, and the diversification of points of origin.
The domestic tourism market in Gran Canaria, with 534.844 visitors between January and November, is in the second best year in its historical series in terms of tourist volume, only surpassed — pending the counting of December — by 2019, a year that closed with 612.796 visitors from the Peninsula and Balearic Islands.
However, the managing director of Gran Canaria Tourism, Pablo Llinares, along with his technical team, confirmed during a presentation aimed at industry professionals—held this Thursday at the Island Tourism Center in Playa del Inglés—that the revenue generated by the domestic market has already reached 320 million euros, a figure that surpasses the historical record of 319 million euros in 2019. Domestic tourists currently occupy fourth place in importance among the island’s source markets.
“The most important thing is that, with nearly 100.000 fewer visitors than in 2019, we are achieving practically the same revenue. This means that visitors to Gran Canaria are spending more, which translates into less pressure on the destination. This performance is aligned with Gran Canaria’s Strategic Tourism Plan, which focuses on sustainability, diversification, and the geographical mobility of tourists, where the absolute priority is revenue volume,” Llinares pointed out, adding that the tourist year will conclude with nearly five million visitors and a new revenue record.
These conclusions were part of the presentation and analysis of the Spanish, Italian and Portuguese markets organized by Gran Canaria Tourism, framed within the preparation of the island’s participation in the Fitur 2026 International Tourism Fair, which will be held from January 21 to 26.
The meeting, attended by nearly fifty industry professionals, began with an introduction by Pablo Llinares, who then gave the floor to the Promotion technicians Francis Ajeno, Valentín González, and Lorena López Molina. During their presentations, they outlined the reports and statistical tools that Gran Canaria Tourism makes available to the sector through its corporate website. Following this, the situation in the Italian market was analyzed with the participation of Saro Arencibia, Head of Tourism Promotion, and Silvia Donatiello, Gran Canaria Tourism’s delegate in Italy.
Tourism experts in Gran Canaria highlighted that the domestic market is maintaining a clear recovery trend following the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, with progressive growth in both visitors and revenue. The cumulative figure between January and November 2025 shows an increase of 3,4%, and all indications suggest this percentage will be slightly higher once the December figures, which were positive, are included. The projected growth is similar to that recorded in 2024, when the year closed with a year-on-year increase of 4%.
The analysis identifies two strategic achievements. First, the diversification of the origin of domestic visitors, facilitated by the expansion of direct routes from virtually all airports on the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Binter’s commitment, along with other airlines, has offset Ryanair’s departure and the initial loss of seats, ultimately achieving a 7% increase in connectivity compared to 2024. “Gran Canaria is better connected than ever, both to the domestic and international markets,” stated Ajeno. Madrid Airport remains the main point of origin, accounting for 38% of the total, compared to over 50% in 2019.
On the other hand, experts emphasized that the deseasonalization of the Spanish market is now a reality. “The domestic customer is no longer exclusively a summer visitor,” they noted. The arrival of Spanish tourists remains stable throughout the year, with a slight increase in July and August, but far from the sharp fluctuations of previous periods.
The average stay for domestic tourists is seven days, and total accumulated spending between January and November amounts to €320 million, representing 7% of the destination’s total tourism revenue. In 2019, €319 million was generated, but with 100.000 more visitors. The technical analysis therefore concludes that current economic performance is higher, despite a slightly shorter average stay. In 2024, this market closed with €309 million. The average expenditure per trip for domestic tourists is €807,95, while daily spending reaches €136,34.
Among the key findings of the analysis is the increased mobility of Spanish tourists throughout the island, especially towards northern areas such as Agaete, Teror, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Puerto de Mogán and the Maspalomas Dunes area continue to be among the most popular destinations. “This increased mobility of tourists across the island is allowing for a more balanced distribution of tourism revenue,” Llinares noted.
Italy and Portugal
Regarding the Italian market, the data presented also reflects record highs, with remarkable growth in both volume and revenue. Up to November, 135.050 Italian tourists visited the island, representing a 22% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This increase occurred despite the scarcity of direct routes and airline seats, a circumstance that did not dampen demand, as Italian tourists are highly willing to make stopovers. This market has established itself as one of the most important emerging markets for Gran Canaria and has helped to offset the decline in Nordic and German visitors. Although their spending level is lower, this is compensated for by a longer average stay, ranging from 10 to 14 days.
Furthermore, this visitor profile includes a significant presence of family and friends residing on the island, which translates into greater diversity in the types of accommodation, including own homes, borrowed homes, or stays in the homes of Italian residents.
Finally, the evolution of the Portuguese market was analyzed, which is also experiencing its best moment ever. The experts highlighted the growth in connectivity from Lisbon and Porto airports, considered priorities in the promotional strategy, with increases of 14% and 10%, respectively. In 2024, 31.514 visitors from Portugal were recorded, while in the current year, with the last two months yet to be counted, the figure stands at 29.783 tourists. Gran Canaria remains the preferred destination for Portuguese tourists within the Canary Islands archipelago.