Tenerife Hotels Forecast 67% Carnival Occupancy

Hotels in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and La Laguna expect to be about 67.08% full during Carnival, which runs from February 13 to 22. This number comes from a survey by Ashotel's tourism observatory, taken between February 3 and 5. It suggests a busy period, though slightly less busy than last year's predictions, when hotels ended up 77% full.

Looking closer, there are differences between the two areas. In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital, hotels expect to be 64.88% full on average. However, for the first part of the festivities, from February 13 to 17 (which includes Carnival Monday and Tuesday), occupancy is higher at 71.52%. The "piñata" weekend, however, is expected to be 66.95% full. Hotels in La Laguna are doing better, with an average of 78.72% occupancy for the whole Carnival period. For the first weekend up to Carnival Tuesday, they expect 78.69% occupancy. The last weekend is predicted to be 73.46% full.

Hotel owners in the area have mixed feelings about how busy they'll be. 38.46% think occupancy will be similar to last year. 30.77% believe it will be even better, while another 30.77% expect it to be lower. Myriam Ortega, Ashotel's vice-president for the region, pointed out that these numbers are typical for a busy time, as Carnival happens during the Canary Islands' winter tourist season. Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival is recognized as a Festival of International Tourist Interest, which naturally draws people in. Plus, more and more people are booking at the last minute, especially locals.

Most visitors are from Spain, including people living in the Canary Islands, but the festival also attracts many international tourists. Foreign visitors tend to book their trips much earlier. Ortega noted that last-minute bookings are becoming a bigger and less predictable factor. She also mentioned that Carnival coincides with the busy cruise season, which could mean more hotel stays.

Booking habits are changing, with demand spread more evenly across the Carnival days. The usual rush on Fridays and Saturdays is fading. Days like the first Sunday and the last Saturday are becoming more popular, thanks to the success of the "Day Carnival" events. Also, fewer large groups are coming through tour packages. Instead, more individual travelers, couples, or small groups of friends and family are visiting. Most visitors are between 17 and 35, though the festival also draws older international tourists.

When it comes to places to stay, traditional hotels in Santa Cruz de Tenerife still offer 2,679 beds. However, holiday rentals in the capital have shrunk by 5.3% in one year. They went from 3,773 places in December 2024 to 3,573 in December 2025, according to data from the Canarian Institute of Statistics (Istac).