Tenerife Targets Sustained Spanish Tourism Lead, Responsible Growth

Tenerife announced at the Fitur tourism fair in Madrid that it expects to remain a top choice for Spanish tourists in 2026. In the first eleven months of the year, visitors from mainland Spain made up 12.7% of all tourists (both international and Spanish) to the island. This figure is higher than the average for the Canary Islands (11.6%) and means Tenerife attracts 45% of all Spanish mainland tourists visiting the archipelago.

Rosa Dávila, president of the island's government (Cabildo), said Tenerife is a leader in attracting tourists from mainland Spain. She highlighted that 45% of all mainland Spanish tourists visiting the Canary Islands choose Tenerife – meaning one in every two. Dávila also mentioned efforts to promote "resilient, responsible, and sustainable tourism." This approach aims to meet the island's needs, preserve its identity, and protect its natural areas. She added that this vision is about "responsible and regenerative tourism" that allows visitors and residents to coexist harmoniously. Her conclusion was: "We are committed to maintaining visitor numbers while also encouraging higher spending by tourists."

Lope Afonso, the Cabildo's vice-president and Minister of Tourism, stressed the importance of the mainland Spanish market for Tenerife. He noted that the island's competitive edge comes from constantly improving its offerings and travel connections. In 2025, the number of guests in Tenerife's hotels and apartments increased by 1.7%, reaching a total of 604,208 visitors. Tourism from other Canary Islands remained steady, with 396,070 travelers. He added that in 2025, Tenerife maintained flight connections with 23 airports across mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, as well as with other Canary Islands airports. Compared to 2024, the island also added connections with five new national airports: Pamplona, Murcia, A Coruña, Badajoz, and Melilla (with occasional flights from Melilla in July and August).

Dimple Melwani, CEO of Turismo de Tenerife, stated that air travel capacity for winter 2025/2026 is expected to increase from cities like Seville, Malaga, and Valencia. New connections are also planned from Granada, Asturias, Vigo, Palma de Mallorca, Zaragoza, and Valladolid, among others. In the first nine months of 2025, tourism from mainland Spain generated about 550 million euros, almost 3% more than the previous year. During this period, daily tourist spending rose by 6.8%, and spending per person increased by 2.3%.

Melwani added that while these figures are positive, the desired outcomes should also lead to something more valuable: trust, stability, and a good quality of life. She explained that their preferred model puts people – both visitors and residents – at the heart of their decisions. It also emphasizes collaboration and shared management to drive progress. This approach, she believes, will allow Tenerife to remain an exemplary and sustainable destination for future generations.

Looking at travel connections, national air traffic (from mainland Spain and the Canary Islands) reached almost 4.1 million passengers for the year, a 4% increase compared to 2024. Flights arriving from mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands saw a 4.9% rise, totaling almost 2.5 million passengers for the year. Traffic from mainland Spain makes up 61.5% of all national traffic and 24% of the total 10.5 million passengers who arrived in Tenerife in 2025.